Muslim men deface Parshuram temple wall with Islamic symbols during Makar Sankranti mela
Tezu, Arunachal Pradesh, India 
11 January, 2023
Case Summary
Arunachal Pradesh’s famous Parshuram Kund Makar Sankranti fair, often known as the Kumbh Mela of the Northeast came under attack from Islamists. During the four-day celebration, the wall near the sacred bathing ghat of Parshuram Kund was defaced with Islamic symbols like stars and the moon. Besides, the donation money from the temple premises was also stolen. Mahant Baba Harisharan Das of Parshuram temple said that before he reached the temple, a miscreant ran away with the donation money. Two other miscreants were, however, apprehended by the locals. When they were searched and their identity was checked, they turned out to be belonging to the Muslim community. A complaint regarding these incidents was lodged with the police on January 16, 2023.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
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. In this case, despite understanding that Hindu temples are dedicated to the worship of Hindu deities and are considered sacred spaces specifically for the practice of Hindu rituals and prayers and desecrating it with symbols of another faith is violating the sanctity of the temple, the miscreants defaced the wall of the sacred kund in the Parshuram temple with Islamic symbols. Lord Parshuram is one of the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism. Together with Brahma and Shiva, Vishnu forms the principal trinity of Hindu religious practice. The perpetrator, in this case, vandalised the walls of Lord Parshuram's temple. This underscores the deep-rooted hatred the accused harboured towards Hinduism. Given that the fundamental motivation behind this incident is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
