Hindu farmers attacked and Hanuman temple desecrated by Muslim men in Ujjain
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India 
30 July, 2025
Case Summary
In Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh, Hindu farmers were assaulted by three Muslim men while they were constructing a tin shed on their own land near the Peer Jangli Dargah. Along with this, the Muslim men also attacked and desecrated a Hindu temple during the attack. According to reports, the incident occurred when three Hindu farmers, Lakhan Mali, Mukesh Mali, and Sanjay Mali, were constructing a tin shed on their own 12 bighas of agricultural land near the Peer Jangli Dargah, under the Lalpur bridge. They were removing an old hut to build a new shed intended for housing their cattle. During this time, three Muslim men named Shahrukh, Abid, and Abdul Wahid confronted the Hindu farmers and opposed the construction, claiming that the land belonged to them, despite it being privately owned by the Mali family. The confrontation then escalated into a one-sided attack by the three Muslim men. The three accused used sharp weapons and pelted stones, leaving Lakhan Mali injured. Stones were also thrown at the Hanuman temple and the houses of the local Hindu residents, causing injuries to other family members, including women. After the assault, the victims approached the Mahakal police station and filed a complaint. A case was registered against the three attackers under sections 118(1), 115(2), 125, 296, 351(3), and 3(5) of the Indian Penal Code (BNS). As of the date of writing this report, a search operation was underway to nab the accused who were absconding. Furthermore, the victims, while talking to the media, also stated that for many years, the members of the Muslim community were illegally encroaching upon land in the area, and they had constructed multiple mosques. The Muslim community also engaged in drug abuse, creating a hostile environment. Additionally, people who came to visit the mosque on the day of the incident also engaged in the attack.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Attack not resulting in death. Within it, the sub-category selected is: - Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The second primary category selected here is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the 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 selected 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. This case has been added to the tracker because the Hindu farmers were attacked by three Muslim men without any provocation. The farmers were simply constructing a tin shed on their own land, but since the land was near the dargah, the Muslim community considered it a provocation. This perception, rooted in religious intolerance, resulted in a one-sided communal attack on the Hindu farmers and their family members. Such acts of violence against Hindus are not isolated or spontaneous incidents; rather, they are driven by deep-seated religious animosity towards the Hindu community and Islamic supremacist ideology, which views non-Muslims as inherently inferior. This results in hostility towards non-Muslims, especially Hindus, when Hindus assert their rights or when they do not submit or comply with the demands of the Muslim community. In supremacist interpretations of Islam, religious dominance is enforced not just through symbolism but by controlling public spaces, suppressing non-Muslims, and punishing them for any perceived disrespect, even when unintentional or unrelated. In this case, a mere constriction of a tin shed near the dargah was treated as a provocation, triggering violent retaliation. The fact that the Hindu farmers and their family members were subjected to an armed and violent attack reveals the underlying religious hostility driving the attack. Furthermore, the Muslim men also attacked the Hanuman temple, which further reinforces the religious motivations behind the whole attack. A temple is an institution of profound spiritual significance within the Hindu faith. For Hindus, temples are far more than mere physical structures; they are sacred spaces believed to embody the divine presence of Hindu deities. Acts of violence against such spaces are a clear example of religiously motivated hate crimes targeting Hindus and their sacred places of worship. Beyond the physical damage, the psychological impact of such attacks is profound. When sacred temples are attacked, it wounds the collective psyche of Hindus, leaving many feeling isolated, vulnerable, and marginalised. Such attacks are not simply acts of vandalism; they are calculated assaults on the faith and identity of the Hindu community. Such attacks were intended not only to harm the Hindu victims but also to instil fear or hostility within the wider Hindu community. The disproportionate and targeted nature of the violence, the communal identities of those involved, and the temple attack all suggest that this incident can be interpreted as a hate crime against Hindus. As this case fits the parameters of the hate crime database, and thus being added to the tracker. The Hinduphobia Tracker has documented numerous similar instances where communal attacks on Hindus began over non-religious disputes but quickly escalated, leaving Hindu victims seriously injured. For example, on 22nd June 2025, in Ghongade Basti, Solapur, Maharashtra, a Hindu man and his brother were brutally attacked by a Muslim mob following a minor road dispute. The incident quickly escalated into targeted communal violence against the local Hindu community. Another such instance occurred on 6th June 2025, in Kadabin Jinsi Haat Maidan, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, where a Dalit Hindu family was brutally attacked by a group of Muslims over a minor water dispute. The assailants also hurled caste-based slurs, and even women and a child were severely beaten. A similar case of attack occurred on 2nd June 2025, in Saraiya, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit Hindu man named Vishal Sonkar was brutally assaulted by a group of Muslim youths after a minor disagreement over road space. He suffered severe head injuries from rods and sticks. A similar instance of communal violence was reported on 6th July 2025, in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit Hindu wedding procession was attacked by a Muslim mob over the playing of DJ music while passing by a mosque. The victims were severely injured with sharp weapons and sticks. The above-mentioned cases clearly demonstrate a pattern of attacks against Hindus. Even if the conflict is a result of a non-communal issue, it often takes on a communal nature where Hindus are frequently targeted and brutally attacked by a large Muslim mob. These attacks are not random or spontaneous acts of violence. Instead, it is part of a larger pattern where Hindus are targeted not just out of personal anger, but because of deep-rooted religious hatred and a supremacist mindset.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
