Hindu temple demolished by authorities in Pakistan; Hindu protestors subjected to violence by Muslim locals and police
Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan 
14 December, 2025
Case Summary
In Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan, an ancient Hindu temple was illegally demolished by state authorities under the influence of a powerful landlord. The local Hindus, when they protested and opposed this demolition, were subjected to brutal violence by Pakistani police and Muslim locals. According to media reports, this incident came to light when members of the Hindu community, including women and children, staged a protest in Hosri near Hyderabad over the demolition of the ancient temple. The protesters blocked the Hyderabad–Badin highway for several hours, bringing traffic to a standstill. The demonstrators also stated that those Hindus who tried to stop the demolition were physically assaulted and given death threats by Pakistani police and Muslim locals. The attack was brutal, particularly towards Hindu female protesters. The incident sparked outrage among the local Hindu community, with demands for action and protection of Hindu religious sites in the country. Even Hindu activist Nikhil Chandwani, who works for the protection of Pakistani Hindus, confirmed this incident. He said that in the middle of the night of 15th December 2025, under the cover of darkness, the ancient Hindu temple of the Kolhi community, a Dalit Hindu community, was demolished, and the Hindu locals protesting peacefully, asking for justice, were brutally assaulted with sticks by Pakistani police and Muslim locals. This case highlights the persecution faced by the Hindu minorities in Pakistan, marked by systemic discrimination, violence, and forced conversions. Hindu women, particularly young girls, are often abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and married off to Muslim men with little to no legal recourse. Temples are frequently vandalised or destroyed, and Hindu communities are subjected to social and economic marginalisation. Blasphemy laws are disproportionately used against Hindus, leading to false accusations and severe punishments. Many Hindu families are forced to flee their homes due to religious intolerance, living in constant fear of attacks. This sustained persecution highlights the dire conditions for minority Hindus in Pakistan, where their religious identity makes them targets of continued oppression.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected is- Attack on Temples. 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. Another primary category selected is- Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The other subcategory 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. In this case, the illegal demolition of a Hindu temple by state authorities under the influence of a powerful landlord in Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan, stands as a clear instance of anti-Hindu hate crime. Hindu temples represent far more than physical structures; they form the soul of Hindu civilisation and faith, serving as sacred abodes where the divine presence of deities resides. They hold utmost significance in Hinduism. This purposeful, selective targeting and destruction of a temple belonging to the vulnerable Kolhi community, a Dalit Hindu group, reveals deep-seated hatred and undermining of the Hindu community and its religious sites by Pakistani authorities, with state complicity, exposing entrenched religious animosity and prejudice against Hindus. When local Hindus gathered peacefully to protest the demolition, blocking the highway without violence and demanding protection for their sacred sites, they faced brutal physical assaults and death threats from both Muslim locals and Pakistani police. This violent response to non-violent defence of their faith underscores profound religious animosity towards Hindus, transforming a legitimate call for justice into a targeted attack on their identity. Furthermore, the issuing of death threats was a method to silence any opposition from the Hindus and to intimidate the community. This instance matches the pattern of anti-Hindu attacks where Hindus suffer violence for opposing radicals, saving fellow Hindus, or defending their sacred sites, amounting to a clear example of anti-Hindu hate crime rooted in religious hostility. The ferocity of the assaults, particularly against Hindu women and female protesters who endured savage beatings, lays bare the attackers' visceral hatred for Hinduism. In Pakistan's grim context of routine persecution, where Hindu women suffer rape, temples face demolition, and men fall victim to targeted killings, this episode exemplifies a direct assault on Hindus solely for their religious identity, marking it unequivocally as a hate crime. Even the Pakistani police joined the Muslim locals in attacking the Hindu protesters with sticks, revealing institutional bias and animosity at the heart of the state apparatus. Their aggression went beyond mere crowd control; it stemmed from prejudice against Hindu identity, a pattern confirmed in several prior cases where police have favoured or shown inaction against Muslim assailants over Hindu victims, perpetuating systemic religious hatred against the community. When state and police officials themselves embolden Muslim perpetrators, it promotes an environment where hatred and persecution of Hindus become common, and such crimes are committed with impunity. The Hinduphobia Tracker previously recorded a few instances where Hindu victims of hate crimes by Muslims received no help from police in Pakistan. For example, during Diwali in 2025, in the village of Jinathi Dhanai in Umerkot, Sindh, Pakistan, a Diwali event was attacked by a Muslim group. Hindu devotees faced brutal violence from the attackers. A Muslim mob led by men named Shoukat Junejo, Abu Bakar, Barkat, Khan Muhammad, Allahdad, and Obhayo Junejo violently attacked the local Hindu community’s Diwali celebration. Armed with axes and sticks, the Muslim group destroyed the stage setup and forced the event to stop midway. Hindu participants suffered brutal assaults from the Muslim perpetrators. In this case, despite repeated pleas, the police took no action against the perpetrators. Similarly, in October 2025, in Ghalib Shah village near Islamkot, Tharparkar district, Sindh province, Pakistan, Hindu families belonging to the Meghwar community, a Dalit Hindu community, faced brutal attacks from a mob of Muslims. A Muslim mob from the Syed and Khaskheli communities stormed the homes of Hindus. They violently assaulted Hindu women and children with sticks, leaving several injured and traumatised. Local Hindu residents stated that despite repeated pleas, the police response was slow, allowing the perpetrators to flee. Both these instances showcase how police harbour bias and animosity towards Hindus, making it clear that in this case, the attack on Hindu protesters stemmed from religious prejudice and hate, constituting a clear case of institutionalised discrimination and persecution. Given that this case meets the parameters of a religiously motivated crime, it qualifies for addition to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: In this case, both Muslim perpetrators and Pakistani police acted as assailants against the Hindu protesters. Police presence is typically absent at the outset of such incidents, confirming that Muslim perpetrators initiated the violence, with police joining subsequently. Therefore, for Hinduphobia Tracker records, the perpetrators' identity is being recorded as "Muslim extremists".
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
