Hindu Temple illegally encroached upon by local Muslims; Hindus put up 'House for Sale' posters fearing Islamisation

Case ID : 90a08ca | Location : Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 23 February, 2025

Case ID : 90a08ca

Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India

23 February, 2025

Hindu Temple illegally encroached upon by local Muslims; Hindus put up 'House for Sale' posters fearing Islamisation

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked to induce migration from non-Hindu dominated area

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land/land near temple

Case Summary

In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, 15 Hindu families have put up ‘House for Sale’ posters outside their homes, expressing their distress over the illegal encroachment of Chamunda Devi temple land by Muslims in the area. According to local Hindus, goons have taken over the temple premises under the guise of renovation, while authorities remain indifferent. They alleged that Hindu religious sites were being systematically occupied and that the well in the area had been renamed, with dirty water now flowing into the cremation ground where deceased children were buried. Fearing the growing Islamisation of their locality, the Hindu residents expressed their desire to leave by selling their homes. However, the District Magistrate dismissed these claims, stating that the authorities were merely removing illegal encroachments as part of a legal process. He alleged that a local resident, Vimal Saini, was instigating the people to protest by putting up posters. He further warned that action would be taken against those involved in spreading misinformation.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been classified as a hate crime against Hindus under the first prime category of- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked to induce migration from non-Hindu dominated area. There have been cases where the Hindus living in an area, often with a majority dwelling belonging to non-Hindus or those harbouring animosity towards the Hindu faith, the Hindu residents experience threats and violence. The violence is employed with the aim of making the Hindus leave the area and relocate, so the area could be turned into an exclusive ghetto for adherents of the non-Hindu faith or those who harbor animosity towards the Hindu faith. In several cases, the aim of exodus is explicit. However, in several cases, the demand for exodus of Hindu residents is not explicit, however, violence by non-Hindu residents leaves the Hindu residents no option but to leave the area, thereby, turning the area into an exclusive ghetto of non-Hindu residents. In such cases, there are instances violence against the Hindu residents explicitly. For example, in the Hauz Qazi case of 2019, the Muslim residents claimed that mob violence against the Hindu residents had been triggered by a parking dispute. However, the violence did turn religious with a temple being desecrated and was directed specifically against the Hindu residents. The Hindu residents of the area were clear that the violence was religiously motivated and one of the motives was to affect an exodus of the Hindu residents. In such cases, even though the perpetrators have not explicitly expressed the aim of affecting exodus, the given circumstances and violence and precedent point to the intention of exodus and therefore would be categorized under this sub-category. Such crimes are religiously motivated and therefore are hate crimes. The second category relevant here is- Attack on Hindu religious representation and within this, the sub-actegory 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. The incident in Sambhal district, where Hindu families were being forced to consider leaving their homes due to the illegal encroachment of Chamunda Devi temple land, is a clear case of religious intimidation and targeted demographic change. The encroachment of Hindu religious sites, under the pretext of renovation, reflects a systematic attempt to alter the cultural and religious landscape of the area. Such actions, when combined with administrative apathy, create an environment of fear and insecurity among Hindus, ultimately compelling them to leave. This pattern is consistent with instances where non-Hindu groups exert pressure to displace Hindu residents from their own localities, making it a case of forced migration induced by religious hostility. Additionally, the illicit takeover of temple land represents not just an attack on religious property but also an assault on Hindu religious identity and heritage. The renaming of traditional sites, the desecration of cremation grounds, and the apparent disregard for Hindu concerns further underscore the religious bias at play. Given these elements, this case qualifies as a hate crime and has been included in the Hinduphobia tracker. Disclaimer: In this case, it is mentioned that members of 15 Hindu families were being forced to consider leaving their homes. However, the exact number of individuals involved in the conversion is not specified. Due to this lack of clarity, we have relied on the most recent Indian census data, which indicates that the average family size in India is approximately 4.8 members per household. To ensure a standardised estimation, we have opted to consider an average of 5 members per family. Based on this approach, the estimated total number of victims in this case is calculated as 75 individuals.