Hindu devotee’s sacred Kanwar defiled by Muslim man spitting on it during pilgrimage
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India 
6 July, 2025
Case Summary
In Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu siblings and their friend carrying Kanwar, containers filled with the holy water of the Ganga river, were defiled by a Muslim man named Usman who spat on them. In Hinduism, the Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage observed by devotees of Lord Shiva, known as Kanwariyas. They travel to holy sites such as Haridwar, Gaumukh, and Gangotri in Uttarakhand to collect sacred water from the Ganga River and offer it to Lord Shiva, especially at Shiva temples in their local regions. This is a highly revered pilgrimage among Hindus. According to news reports, two Hindu siblings, Anshu Sharma and his sister Muskan, along with their friend Manish, were carrying Kanwar from Haridwar. Anshu carried 101 litres of Ganga water, his sister Muskan carried 31 litres, and their friend Manish also carried 31 litres. The three stopped to rest in front of the Nagar Panchayat of Purkaji in Muzaffarnagar, where they placed their Kanwar on the highway. At six in the morning, Anshu left his sister Muskan and went to relieve himself nearby. A short while later, Muskan called Anshu and informed him that a Muslim man had spat on her Kanwar, thereby defiling it. Following this, the Muslim accused fled the scene. Upon learning of the defilement, the Kanwariyas became agitated and began to create a ruckus. The police arrived at the scene to manage the situation, but the Kanwariyas were unwilling to listen. The agitated devotees attempted to enter the house of the accused Muslim youth, but the police prevented them. They demanded the arrest of the accused. Police station in-charge Jaiveer Singh stated that no one would be allowed to create a disturbance during the Kanwar Yatra and assured that strict action would be taken against the accused. Following this, a case was registered against the accused, Usman, and subsequently, he was arrested.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected 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 other subcategory is- Defiling of 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 incident in Muzaffarnagar was not merely an attack on a physical object, but a deliberate desecration of a deeply sacred symbol in Hinduism. The Kanwar is a bamboo pole bearing pots filled with holy water from the Ganga river, which is carried on the shoulders of devotees during the Kanwar Yatra pilgrimage. This water is regarded as pure and spiritually potent, used in rituals and prayers to Lord Shiva. The Muslim perpetrator’s act of defiling such a sacred vessel by spitting on it showed a blatant disregard for the Hindu faith and the countless devotees who undertake this sacred journey, the Kanwar Yatra. Spitting on the Kanwar was a direct desecration of a sacred Hindu religious symbol. It was a conscious act of defilement that violated the sanctity of the pilgrimage and constituted a direct attack on the religious beliefs of Hindu devotees. Such an action goes far beyond a simple insult; it is a profound affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus and an assault on their spiritual identity. The pain caused by this act extended not only to the individual devotees involved but also to the wider Hindu community, for whom the Kanwar Yatra is a vital expression of their religious life. Acts of desecration and defilement of sacred Hindu representations by Muslim perpetrators are a result of religious animosity towards Hindus and their faith. Such instances are clear examples of religiously motivated hate crimes against Hindus. Therefore, it is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
