Animal slaughter attempted around Subramaniya Swami Temple on sacred Thiruparankundram Hill

Case Summary
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political wing of the banned terrorist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), attempted to carry out animal slaughter (Qurbani) at the Sikandar Badushah Dargah on Thiruparankundram Hill, a site of immense religious significance to Hindus. The SDPI's move was blocked by the police after a formal appeal from Solaikannan, the Madurai district president of Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), who emphasized that the hill, home to the Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple, is sacred to Hindus. The attempt to sacrifice animals at the dargah drew strong resistance from local Hindu groups, who feared that the SDPI’s actions were part of a wider effort to assert Muslim dominance over the sacred hill. Hindu leaders, along with Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, opposed the act, citing the historical and religious significance of the hill, which is one of Lord Murugan’s six holy abodes. They argued that such acts of animal slaughter were a blatant attack on Hindu religious practices and an attempt to alter the sanctity of the site. The police had been alerted to the SDPI’s intentions after earlier discussions between the Islamist groups and district officials, where the administration had only authorized prayers at the site, not animal sacrifices. When the SDPI attempted to go ahead with the Qurbani, police denied entry, preventing the activists from carrying out their ritual. This incident was the latest in a series of escalating attempts by Islamic groups to assert control over the hill. The controversy had been simmering since December 27, 2024, when a group of Muslims tried to bring goats and chickens for slaughter at the Dargah. After being stopped by police, protests erupted, and over 100 members of the Sikandar Mosque Committee were detained earlier in January after demanding permission to offer namaz at the site. Thiruparankundram Hill’s religious importance to Hindus has been recognized for centuries. In fact, a British-era court ruling confirmed that the hill is the property of the Subramaniya Swamy Temple. Despite this, groups like the SDPI have continuously tried to undermine the hill’s sacred status. Local Hindus have expressed concerns that, under the guise of religious festivities, there has been a systematic encroachment on the hill, pushing for it to become an Islamic religious site. In response to these developments, Solaikannan of the IMK called for greater protection of the hill, proposing that the Archaeological Department manage the area to safeguard the Jain temples and inscriptions located there.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the first sub-category selected here 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. The second sub-category relevant here is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. 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. The third sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Breaking rules of places 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 fourth sub-category 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 fifth sub-category relevant here 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. The hill, home to the Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Temple, is one of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan and holds deep cultural and spiritual value for Hindus. The SDPI’s attempt to carry out animal slaughter (Qurbani) not only violated the site’s sanctity but was also deliberate provocation and an attempt to assert dominance over the sacred hill, undermining its Hindu identity. Such acts of desecration are not isolated but part of a broader pattern of encroachment and hostility toward Hindu religious sites. The deliberate disregard for the site's religious and historical significance, combined with false claims about land ownership and earlier attempts to bring animals for slaughter, reflects a calculated effort to challenge Hindu beliefs and alter the hill's cultural landscape. These actions, though blocked by police intervention, reflects a profound disregard for the Hindu faith and its practices and stem from underlying animosity toward the religion. This incident exemplifies an intentional effort to insult religious sentiments, warranting its inclusion as a serious offence motivated by hatred.

Case Status
Complaint filed

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown