Hindu temple defiled; Meat thrown in the temple premises in Uttar Pradesh
Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, India 
5 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman was desecrated when unidentified individuals threw a piece of meat inside the temple premises. Devotees who arrived to seek blessings discovered the meat and were deeply angered by the act. According to several reports, the meat was thrown inside the premises of the ancient Hanuman Temple, while some other sources state that the meat was thrown near the temple premises. As soon as the incident came to light, workers from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad arrived at the site and strongly protested against the defilement of the temple space, which holds deep religious significance for Hindus. Upon receiving the information, the station in charge, Brijesh Singh, also reached the temple with a police team. The crowd that had gathered nearby was pacified, and the piece of meat was removed from the temple grounds and buried. Meanwhile, the Circle Officer instructed the village head to ensure the removal of all meat shops within 200 metres of the temple. The police assured those present that the culprits would be identified and appropriate action would be taken.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu Religious Representations. The subcategory selected is- Defiling Religious Customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other subcategory selected is- Breaking rules of place of worship. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The other 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. This incident constitutes a hate crime as it involved the deliberate placement of meat within the premises of a Hindu temple. The deliberate violation of the sanctity of Hindu temples, which are revered as sacred spaces of worship. Introducing meat into such premises is a blatant desecration aimed at provoking Hindus and mocking their deeply held beliefs. Such an act reflects a profound disregard for the faith and its practices, stemming from underlying animosity toward Hinduism. This incident exemplifies an intentional effort to insult religious sentiments, warranting its inclusion as a serious offence motivated by hatred. This act cannot be viewed merely as a breach of law and order but as a calculated attempt to dishonour Hindu religious customs, particularly those linked to temple purity and ritual observance. Secondly, throwing meat inside a Hanuman temple, where the presence of meat is strictly forbidden, violates the temple’s rules and defiles its premises. This clearly demonstrates a profound disregard for Hindu religious sites and their established customs. The act is indicative of deep-seated animosity towards Hinduism and its sacred shrines, which are held in the highest regard by Hindus. Such incidents reflect a persistent hostility towards both the Hindu community and their religious shrines. It is also important to mention here that, though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed from hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the defilement and desecration of the sacred idols in the Hindu temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. Such attacks underscore religious animosity, warranting their inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker under the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
