Hindu temple vandalised and Hindus attacked by Christians indulging in illegal conversion event
Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India 
8 March, 2025
Case Summary
In the Tatiband area of Raipur, Chhattisgarh, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman was vandalised by a group of Christians, who then attacked Hindu devotees, severely beating them with sticks and rods. Following this, the accused individuals organised a conversion event, triggering communal clashes in the area. Hindu residents in Raipur’s Tatibandh area were subjected to violence and intimidation after Bajrang Dal activists staged a protest against religious conversions taking place in a local house. As tensions escalated, a violent mob vandalised vehicles parked outside the house, further exacerbating the situation. Upon receiving reports of the attack, police forces arrived at the scene and deployed heavy security to prevent further escalation. According to reports, Bajrang Dal activists were alerted to ongoing religious conversions in a house in Tatibandh. When they arrived to protest, they were met with hostility, and the situation quickly spiraled into violence. Clashes erupted between the Hindu activists and the Christian evangelists, leading to the destruction of several vehicles and injuries to multiple people. Senior police officials intervened to control the situation and safely evacuated those trapped inside the house. Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal activists demanded the construction of a temple at the site, asserting their right to protect Hindu religious identity in the area. City ASP Lakhan Patle assured that law enforcement is assessing the situation and that order has now been restored. A heavy police presence has been deployed, and an investigation is underway. However, no FIR has been registered yet. Additionally, complainant Manish Sharma reported to the police that local residents had collectively built a Hanuman temple in Maruti Enclave, Tatibandh. However, on the morning of March 9, nearly 100 individuals from a nearby church allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on the temple. They reportedly desecrated the idol, vandalised the temple structure, and threw away the damaged deity. When Hindu locals attempted to defend their place of worship, they were brutally assaulted with sticks, rods, stones, and chairs, leaving several people seriously injured.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under multiple categories. The first is- Attack not resulting in death. Within this, the sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The second category under which this case has been placed is- Attack on Hindu religious representation. Within this, the first sub-category 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. The second sub-category chosen is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbol. 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. Additionally, the third category relevant here is- Predatory Proselytisation. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Conversion/ attempt to convert through inducement. Predatory Proselytisation is not just limited to threat, harassment, force and violence, but it also has contours of stealth. In several cases, the Hindu victim is exploited to convert, with non-Hindus taking advantage of their poverty. In such cases, the Hindu victim who is suffering financially is offered monetary benefits, including lucrative offers for jobs, health treatment, education, etc, to induce the victim into changing his/her religion. In such cases, the religious identity of the victim and the aim to disenfranchise him from his faith form the heart of the crime. Also, taking advantage of and exploiting an individual’s economic vulnerabilities is widely acknowledged as exploitation, forms of which are often penalised by law. Such cases, therefore are considered religiously motivated hate crimes since the victim’s religious identity forms the very heart of the crime itself. This case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under multiple categories due to the nature and intent behind the attack. The first classification, Attack not resulting in death (Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save the victim), is justified as Hindu residents who opposed religious conversions were met with violence, intimidation, and assault. The fact that those attempting to safeguard their religious identity and resist coercive conversion efforts were physically attacked highlights a clear pattern of targeting individuals who stand against radical elements. The second classification, Attack on Hindu religious representation, underscores the deliberate targeting of Hindu religious symbols and places of worship. The Attack on Temples sub-category applies as the Hanuman temple, built by local Hindu residents, was reportedly attacked by a violent mob. The destruction of the temple structure and the desecration of the deity reflect an attempt to erase Hindu religious presence from the area. The Desecration of Hindu religious symbol sub-category is particularly relevant, given that the idol was reportedly vandalized and discarded, an act that signifies deep-seated animosity towards Hindu beliefs. The third classification, Predatory Proselytisation (Conversion/attempt to convert through inducement), is crucial to understanding the broader context of the attack. The protest by Bajrang Dal activists was reportedly against religious conversions, suggesting that there were attempts to lure or pressure individuals into converting. The violence that followed, especially against those who resisted, aligns with patterns where conversion is facilitated through coercion, fear, or direct aggression against those who refuse to comply. Taken together, this case illustrates a deeply concerning scenario where Hindus faced targeted aggression for defending their faith. Their place of worship was attacked, and opposing religious conversion efforts were met with violence. Given that the fundamental motivation behind these actions is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following categories.
Case Status
Complaint not filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
