Attack on Hindu faith: Encroachers attempt illegal takeover of sacred temple site in Uttar Pradesh
Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, India 
26 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Khatta Prahladpur, Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, the site of a Hindu temple was being illegally encroached upon by a local family. The act provoked widespread outrage among the local Hindu residents, who warned that they would convert to another faith if the sanctity of the temple site was not safeguarded. According to media reports, the matter came to light when around 35 Hindu families from the village staged a protest at the Collectorate office on Monday, 27th October 2025, asserting that encroachment was taking place on their religious site—a temple dedicated to Bhumiya Devi, a revered local deity. The villagers, including Manoj, Sachin, Veer Singh, Gaurav, Rampal, Yogesh, and Sanjay from Khatta Prahladpur, submitted a formal complaint to the District Magistrate, Asmita Lal. They said that the village contained an ancient shrine of Bhumiya Devi, which held spiritual and cultural importance for the Hindu community. They also stated that a particular family, by exerting pressure on local officials, had built a boundary wall around the shrine with the intent to encroach upon the temple site. Although the villagers had raised objections, the administration took no immediate action. As a result, the villagers reiterated their warning that if the encroachment was not removed, all 35 Hindu families would be compelled to convert to another faith as a mark of protest against the authorities’ inaction. Following this, District Magistrate Asmita Lal intervened and assured the protesters that an investigation into the matter would be initiated. She also said that an appropriate legal action would follow.
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- Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land/land near temple. 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. Not only the Temple but the Temple premises in its entirety are considered sacred by Hindus. In several cases, the premises of the Temple and/or religious centre are illicitly taken over by institutions belonging to other faiths – like the Waqf board or the Church. Other times, the temple property, land or the property of religious centres are illicitly encroached by non-Hindu groups. Any illicit take over or encroachment is a crime an initio, however, when non-Hindu groups illicitly take over or encroach the sacred land of Hindus, it is an affront to the Hindu community and is therefore classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. In this case, it is important to note that a Hindu temple is not merely a structure of worship; it is a consecrated space embodying divine presence, cultural continuity, and the spiritual essence of Hindu civilisation. The deity installed within a temple is believed to be a living manifestation of the divine, and therefore both the sanctum and the surrounding land are considered sacred. Every element of a temple—the deity, the shrine, and even the soil—is revered by devotees. The encroachment of such a sacred site, particularly one dedicated to Bhumiya Devi, is not an act of mere land dispute but a direct assault on the spiritual integrity of the Hindu faith. The deliberate attempt to occupy and enclose the temple site reveals deep-seated hostility towards Hindu religious traditions and reflects an attempt to desecrate what the community holds holy. Such unlawful interference and encroachment represent not only an attack on property but also a violation of the collective religious sentiment and cultural identity of Hindus in the region, making it a religiously motivated crime. What makes this case even more distressing is the conduct of the local authorities. Instead of safeguarding the sanctity of the temple and addressing the grievances of the Hindu villagers, the administration sided with the encroachers. This pattern of neglect and complicity demonstrated a systemic bias within the local governance structure, undermining the trust of the Hindu community in state institutions. When officials remain passive or biased in matters involving desecration or encroachment of Hindu temples, it sends a message of disregard for Hindu religious rights and contributes to an environment of institutionalised prejudice. The villagers of Khatta Prahladpur, who revered the ancient shrine of Bhumiya Devi, were pushed to such an extent of despair that they expressed their willingness to abandon their faith if the temple site was not protected. When a community reaches the point of contemplating conversion over the loss of a temple site, it underscores not merely administrative failure but psychological and spiritual trauma. Their anguish illustrates the magnitude of the encroachment and the profound emotional damage caused by the offence. This was not an isolated dispute over land—it was an attack on their faith, their deity, and their very sense of belonging to the tradition they have preserved for generations. In this case, even though the perpetrators remained unidentified, the act was clearly motivated by an intent to undermine the Hindu faith, target a revered religious site, and display animosity towards the Hindu community. Therefore, this incident qualifies as an instance of an anti-Hindu hate crime, warranting its inclusion in the Hate Crime Database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records the dates of incidents based on when the act occurred rather than when it was reported by the media. The media reported this case on 27th October 2025. However, the reports did not mention the exact date when the perpetrators began attempting to encroach upon the temple site. The only date specified was 27th October 2025, when the Hindu villagers visited the Collectorate office to submit their complaint. Therefore, for documentation purposes, this date has been considered the indicative date of the incident.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
