Temple festival used to honour convicted killers as CPM workers wave flags
Kannur, Kerala, India 
29 March, 2025
Case Summary
In the temple festival in Kerala’s Kannur district, flags featuring images of those convicted in the 2005 murder of BJP member Elambilayi Sooraj were displayed by CPM workers. A video of the event circulated widely online, showing a group of CPM supporters enthusiastically dancing and waving flags bearing the pictures of Sooraj’s murderers. The BJP’s Kannur leadership strongly condemned the act and stated that the CPM was misusing religious spaces for political propaganda and glorifying convicted criminals. The controversial flags were waved during the Kalasha procession at the Kuttichathan Madom festival in Parambayi on the night of 30 March. The event, which included DJ performances, slogans, and dancing, marked a stark departure from traditional temple festivities that typically focused on devotional music and rituals. BJP Kannur South district president, Biju Elakkuzhi, stated that the display had been carried out with the full knowledge of the CPM leadership. “Temple processions are meant for devotion, not political sloganeering. Yet, in CPM-dominated areas, we saw deliberate attempts to glorify murderers and distort temple traditions,” he stated. He further accused the CPM of systematically exploiting Hindu temples for political purposes, describing the use of sacred spaces to honour criminals as a direct attack on religious customs. He also linked this incident to wider disturbances, referring to recent violence at the Manolikkavu temple festival in Thalassery. On 8 March, the Thalassery District Sessions Court sentenced eight CPM workers to life imprisonment for Sooraj’s brutal murder on 7 August 2005. Among those convicted were T.K. Rajeesh, E.V. Yogesh, K. Shamjith, P.M. Manoraj, and Neyyoth Sajeevan. Additionally, three others—Prabhakaran Master, K.V. Padmanabhan, and Monambeth Radhakrishnan—were found guilty of criminal conspiracy.
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- 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. This case qualifies as a hate crime since it involved the deliberate misuse of a sacred temple festival for political purposes. Hindu religious traditions, which have been preserved for thousands of years, are central to the faith, and any intentional disruption of these customs constitutes an attack on the religion itself. The waving of flags honouring convicted killers during a temple procession, a traditionally devotional event, defiled the sanctity of the occasion and displayed blatant disregard for the faith and sentiments of Hindu devotees. This act was not merely a political statement but a targeted violation of religious customs, reflecting implicit bias against Hindu traditions. The exploitation of a religious space for glorifying criminals demonstrated animosity towards the faith and its followers, thereby constituting a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
