Minor Hindu student confronted for saying Jai Shri Ram by Muslim teacher in Raigarh, Maharashtra
Raigarh, Maharashtra, India 
12 November, 2025
Case Summary
A Muslim teacher stopped a Hindu student from saying Jai Shri Ram in the Raigad district of Maharashtra. The incident occurred at the New English School located in the Johe village. When the Muslim teacher, Momin, entered the class, some students were chanting Jai Shri Ram. Momin objected to the chants and confronted one student. The news spread around the area, and several villagers gathered at the school. After the commotion, the Muslim teacher apologised on his knees. A formal complaint was filed with the police, which began an investigation into the incident.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the first primary category: Restriction/ban on Hindu religious practice. Within this, the subcategory selected is: Restriction on expression of Hindu identity. An example of the state-affected prejudicial and targeted orders against the Hindu community would be a government denying the right of a Hindu or a group of Hindus to hold a religious procession owing to the animosity of non-Hindu groups. Denial of the religious right of the Hindus to assuage the non-Hindu group, which harbours animosity to a point where it could lead to violence against Hindus, is not only a failure of law and order but is a prejudicial order against Hindus, denying them their fundamental rights to express their religious identity. An example of a hate crime against Hindus by a non-Hindu would be a non-Hindu institution forcing its Hindu employees to abandon religious symbols that a Hindu would wear as an expression of faith owing to inherent prejudice against the faith professed by the victim or a non-Hindu group of people restricting a Hindu group from constructing a place of worship simply because the demography of the area in which the temple is being built is dominated by non-Hindus. Such actions are driven by religious animosity and/or prejudice against Hindus and their faith and would therefore be categorised as a hate crime. The other primary category selected here is: Predatory Proselytisation. Under this, the sub-category selected is: Proselytisation by grooming, brainwashing, manipulation or subtle indoctrination, with the tertiary category being - Conversion of minor. Religious brainwashing essentially means the often subtle and forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up their religious beliefs to accept contrasting, regimented ideas. Religious grooming or brainwashing also involves propaganda and manipulation. It involves the systematic effort, driven by religious malice and indoctrination, to persuade “non-believers’ to accept allegiance, command, or doctrine to and of a contrasting faith. Cases of such grooming or brainwashing are far more nuanced than direct threats, coercion, inducement and violence. In such cases, it is often seen that there is repeated, subtle and continual manipulation of the victim to induce disaffection towards their own faith and acceptance of the contrasting faith of the perpetrator. While subtle indoctrination is widely acknowledged as predatory, an element which is often understated in such conversions or the attempts of such conversion is the role of loyalty and trust that might develop between the perpetrator and the victim. Fiduciary relationships are often abused to affect such religious conversion. For example, an educator transmitting religious doctrine of a competing faith to a Hindu student. The Hindu student is likely to accept what the teacher is transmitting owing to the existence of the fiduciary relationship. The exploitation of the fiduciary relationship to religiously indoctrinate victims would also be included in this category. Since the underlying animosity towards the victim’s faith forms the basis of predatory proselytisation, such cases are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case has been added to the tracker because a minor Hindu student was confronted by a Muslim teacher, Momin, for saying a customary Hindu greeting, “Jai Shri Ram”. The accused took offence and tried to stop the student from chanting praise to Lord Ram. The victim was singled out for simply using a traditional Hindu greeting, a form of salutation. This was not an issue of discipline or behaviour; it was a targeted act rooted in hostility towards a Hindu religious expression, making it a clear instance of religious intolerance. The victim’s greeting, “Jai Shri Ram,” is not merely a phrase but a devotional salutation deeply tied to Hindu identity and spirituality. For many Hindus, it is a respectful way of greeting others, affirming their connection to their faith. Punishing a Hindu child for uttering this greeting is an attempt to suppress his religious expression and his Hindu identity in an environment meant for learning and inclusivity. Such behaviour fosters an atmosphere of religious discrimination, where Hindu students may feel alienated or pressured to suppress their faith to avoid punishment or humiliation. This is particularly concerning as children are highly impressionable, and such incidents can subtly manipulate them into distancing themselves from their religious and cultural roots. This action cannot be analysed in isolation. This is part of a wider pattern where Hindu children are pressured, prohibited, and punished for practising their religion. Such actions are, in fact, a direct attempt to alienate a child from his or her faith. These actions serve as the first step in a larger pattern of grooming, where consistent ridicule and suppression of Hindu practices make a child more susceptible to abandoning their faith. These actions leave Hindu children in a state of confusion about whether their religious practices are wrong or unacceptable in society. It is important to note here that the victim was a minor. At an impressionable age, when children are still forming their sense of self, being told that their sacred symbols cannot be worn or are punished for religious expression creates inner conflict and weakens their connection to their faith. Over time, this can instil a sense of shame or embarrassment about openly practising Hinduism, making them hesitant to uphold their traditions in public spaces. This case qualifies to be added to the Hinduphobia Tracker because it reflects a clear act of religious intolerance targeting a Hindu student for expressing their faith. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the incident occurred. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media: 13 November 2025.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 0
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 1
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 1
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
