Muslim youth hoists Islamic flag on temple after throwing saffron flag, shares video online
Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India 
30 April, 2023
Case Summary
Bhojipura police station in Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh arrested 32-year-old Mohammad Arif alias Guddu on charges of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus by sharing objectionable posts on social media. Arif is a Pradhan in the Bareilly district's Bhikampur village. The accused posted a video on Facebook showing an Islamic flag being placed on a temple after the original flag was thrown from atop the temple. Raj Kumar Agarwal, Superintendent of Police (Rural), stated that the social media cell of Bareilly police forwarded the video to Bhojipura police.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
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. What makes this case a religious-motivated hate crime is that the Muslim youth desecrated a saffron flag that was placed atop a Hindu temple. Because of their spiritual, cultural, and historical importance in Hinduism, saffron flags are powerful emblems of Hindu identity. It is seen as an insult to the Hindu faith to desecrate such flags or any other Hindu religious symbol, and anyone who engages in such criminal activity would only do so out of hatred for Hinduism. Moreover, the perpetrator not only removed the Hindu sacred flag but also replaced it with an Islamic flag. The accused's behaviour was motivated by his profound contempt for Hinduism and his mistaken conviction of the supremacy of Islam. Given that the fundamental motivation behind the crime is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
