Muslim gang dupes several Hindus disguising as Hindu astrologers wearing saffron attire, tilak and Kalawas

Case Summary
The Chinhat police in Lucknow uncovered a gang of fraudsters posing as astrologers to dupe people. Three identified as Aslam, Akram, and Amjad Ahmed, were arrested. Residents of the Deva area in Barabanki, Akram and Aslam were brothers, while Amjad, their brother-in-law, was the gang leader. The police recovered jewellery, cash, and mobile phones from them, while efforts were ongoing to apprehend other gang members. The gang targeted elderly individuals, especially Hindus, by wearing saffron attire, tilaks, and tying kalawas to appear as astrologers. They would approach people on the pretext of seeking directions, and then scare them with false predictions about their future. Under the guise of offering remedies, they extracted valuables like gold jewellery and cash. On December 2, they stole a gold ring and chain from Nitesh Mohan, and on October 5, they duped Pushpa Pandey using similar tactics. Aslam, who is physically disabled, would initiate contact, while others carried out the fraud. The stolen items were sold in the bullion market, and the proceeds were spent on personal indulgences. The police identified the gang using CCTV footage. The accused, previously jailed for similar crimes, specifically targeted elderly morning walkers.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker as a religiously motivated crime under two prime categories. The first is- Attack not resulting in death, under which the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The second category under which this case has been placed is- Attack on Hindu religious representations and within this, the relevant sub-category 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. Here, the Muslim gang's choice to dress as Hindu astrologers, wearing saffron attire, applying tilaks, and tying kalawas, was not incidental but a calculated act designed to exploit the trust and beliefs of the Hindu community. By appropriating these sacred symbols to carry out fraudulent activities, the perpetrators desecrated their cultural and religious significance, turning objects of faith into tools of deceit. 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 – Tilak, Kalawa and saffron robe 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. Furthermore, the Muslim perpetrators specifically targeted Hindus, as evidenced by their victim selection and their pretence of providing Hindu religious remedies. This demonstrates a clear intent to exploit the vulnerabilities of individuals based on their religious identity and is therefore documented as a religiously motivated hate crime in this tracker. Disclaimer: In this case, it is mentioned that the Muslim accused targeted several Hindu individuals, however, since the report explicitly names two individuals, we have considered the victim count as 2.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 1
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 2
- Unknown 0
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 2
- Unknown 0

Case Status
Arrested

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male