Attack on Hindu religious sentiments: Sacred Hindu temple vandalised, temple idol desecrated by miscreants in Gujarat
Junagadh, Gujarat, India 
4 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Girnar Hill, located in Junagadh, Gujarat, a sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Guru Gorakshnath (Gorakhnath), a revered Hindu saint of the Nath Shaiva sect and considered an embodiment of Lord Shiva, was vandalised by unknown miscreants. The attackers also desecrated the sacred idol of Gorakhnath. According to reports, the incident occurred between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on 5th October 2025, when four unidentified individuals, believed to be aged between 30 and 40, unlawfully entered the temple and damaged the marble idol of Guru Gorakhnath. They locked the temple priest’s room from the outside, destroyed the idol, and threw the broken fragments into a nearby valley. The temple's glass panels were also shattered, resulting in an estimated loss of Rs 70,000, as recorded in the FIR lodged by the priest Somnathji, aged 60, a resident of Girnar Road, Junagadh, at Bhavnath Police Station. The four accused had been booked under Section 298 (acts done with deliberate intent to outrage or insult religious feelings of any community), Section 329(3) (mischief causing damage to property), and Section 324(4) (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous means) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Mahant Somnath Bapu, priest of the Gorakhnath temple, expressed grave concern over this incident. He stated, "A similar act occurred before when a statue of Ramdevpir was installed and faced opposition from the Jain community. Within three days, the statue was stolen and has not been recovered since. While the exact perpetrators of this recent incident are unknown, the Jain community has a history of targeting Hindu temples in the area. Therefore, we strongly believe this act was carried out by members of that community." Based on a formal complaint from saints and sages, the police immediately launched an investigation and were working diligently to identify the culprits. Upon receiving the reports, Junagadh Superintendent of Police Subodh Odedra, along with the Bhavnath police inspector and other officials, rushed to Girnar Hill to commence their inquiry. Police teams began collecting and analysing CCTV footage installed across the hill to trace the suspects. Multiple teams were formed to track down the accused, with the Local Crime Branch (LCB) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) actively participating in the investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attack on temples. In Hinduism, a temple is the abode of the Deity. The Deity in the Temple is consecrated, thereby, making it a real, breathing entity. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the temple premises itself are sacred to Hindus since Hindus hold the faith that the entire Temple space is an amalgamation of the divine energy of the deity. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other subcategory selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. Icons and symbols or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal are widely revered in Hinduism. Iconography is of vital significance in the Hindu milieu. It helps connect people’s spiritual beliefs with the real world. Iconography within the Hindu faith takes several shapes and forms. Murtis are of most significance to Hindus, to which daily rituals, prayers and offerings are done. Besides the murtis, there are several other symbols which have deep significance in the Hindu faith – the Om and Swastika for example. Since these Hindu religious symbols hold paramount importance in Hinduism, any desecration of symbols, icons, murtis, religious representations and manifestations, is driven by animosity towards the faith itself which manifests itself through these murtis, icons and symbols. Therefore, any desecration of these Hindu religious symbols and representations is considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. This case clearly constitutes a hate crime targeting Hindus. Firstly, the perpetrators deliberately targeted the sacred Hindu temple of Guru Gorakhnath, a highly revered saint belonging to the Nath Shaiva tradition of Hinduism. Guru Gorakhnath is considered a manifestation of Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. His significance is profound within the Nath sect, which emphasises yogic spiritual discipline and ethical living. The fact that attackers chose to desecrate such a pivotal Hindu religious institution, a temple dedicated to a saint revered as an embodiment of Lord Shiva, exposes deep-seated religious animosity towards the Hindu community. Temples are not merely physical structures; for Hindus, they represent the very abode of the divine and are held in the highest reverence. Acts of vandalising these sacred spaces stem from deep-seated animosity towards the Hindu community and their faith, constituting a religiously motivated crime. Secondly, the attack on the marble idol of Guru Gorakhnath further demonstrates this animosity. For Hindus, temple idols are not mere objects but living, sacred manifestations of the divine, central to daily rituals and spiritual practice. To vandalise the idol is to desecrate a vital symbol of Hindu faith and devotion. This deliberate act of destruction reveals a clear intent to insult and undermine Hindu religious sentiments, marking the crime as explicitly motivated by hatred against Hindu beliefs. Thirdly, Hindu temples serve as sanctuaries of peace and spiritual solace for devotees. When these places of worship are attacked or desecrated, it causes profound hurt and distress to the Hindu community, intensifying the religious motivation behind such crimes. In this case, it is important to note that Mahant Somnath Bapu, the head priest of the Gorakhnath temple, has pointed to the Jain community as suspects, citing prior incidents where Jains targeted Hindu temples on Girnar Hill. However, no conclusive evidence currently identifies the perpetrators, so they must be regarded as unknown. Despite this, the act of desecrating the temple and vandalising the idol unequivocally reflects religious animosity against Hindus. Therefore, this incident amounts to a hate crime targeting Hindu places of worship. Given these facts and the religious motivations involved, this case is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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