Rangoli depicting Hindu deities Radha-Krishna desecrated by Muslim professor
Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, India 
31 March, 2025
Case Summary
In the Dewas district in Madhya Pradesh, a Muslim assistant professor at a government college was caught on camera desecrating a Rangoli depicting Radha-Krishna and the national flag. The professor, identified as Jujair Ali Rangwala, was caught on CCTV wiping off the religious artwork with his foot. The incident was brought to the authorities’ attention by students affiliated with the RSS’s student wing, the ABVP, who submitted CCTV footage showing the professor deliberately stepping on the Rangoli. They also provided screenshots of his controversial WhatsApp statuses, including posts related to India’s recent Champions Trophy victory. This led to a formal complaint by the college administration. In response to the complaint, the police registered an FIR under Sections 298 and 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertained to damaging sacred objects and promoting enmity between communities. The district collector, Rituraj, recommended that the higher education department take disciplinary action against the professor, including his removal from service. The acting principal of the college, Prem Pal, confirmed that the CCTV footage was from the college premises but noted uncertainty regarding the exact date of the recording.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The sub-category relevant in this case 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. Here, a Muslim professor was caught on camera wiping off the religious artwork with his foot. The act of deliberately wiping off a Rangoli depicting Radha-Krishna — sacred deities in Hinduism — with one’s foot is not merely disrespectful but a direct affront to Hindu religious sentiment. Carried out by a professor in a government college, this action is not only symbolic of religious contempt but also reflects a clear intent to insult and provoke. Radha and Krishna are deeply revered figures in the Hindu faith, and damaging or dishonouring their depictions is seen by the Hindu community as a serious religious violation. The use of one's foot to erase the sacred imagery intensifies the insult and confirms the malicious nature of the act. Furthermore, the individual involved is a figure of authority in an educational institution, which makes the incident even more alarming. It creates a hostile environment for Hindu students and faculty and sets a dangerous precedent of religious intolerance in academic spaces. Given the deliberate nature of the desecration, its setting, and the religious symbolism involved, this act constitutes a hate crime. It reflects clear animosity toward Hindu beliefs and religious expressions and therefore warrants inclusion in the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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