Hindus deceived by Muslim man masquerading under Hindu name for his restaurant on Kanwar Yatra route
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India 
27 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, Hindus were deceived by a Muslim man who had adopted a Hindu name for his restaurant. His establishment was situated on the route of the Kanwar Yatra, a Hindu pilgrimage. This led to outrage among Hindus in the area who regarded this as a deception and manipulation of their religious sentiments. In Hinduism, the Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage observed by the 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. Media reports stated that the restaurant was named 'Pandit Ji Vaishno Dhaba'. Members of Hindu organisations arrived at this restaurant, located on the Delhi-Dehradun Highway in Muzaffarnagar. When the Hindu activists requested Aadhaar identification from the employees working there, they were refused. Afterwards, when the QR code for payment was scanned, the name of the owner was found to be from the Muslim community. This situation led to an uproar. Following this, the owner of the hotel was warned to change the name of his establishment and use his real name, or protests would be organised. Swami Yashveer Maharaj, a Hindu priest and leader, deployed teams of 500 people against those running shops by concealing their identity along the Kanwar route, to ensure that Kanwar pilgrims were not cheated.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident suggests that it may constitute a hate crime, as the Muslim man deliberately sought to deceive Hindu devotees by adopting a Hindu name for his restaurant along the Kanwar Yatra route. Such behaviour can be interpreted as targeting Hindu religious sentiments and taking advantage of their trust during a sacred pilgrimage. The strong reaction among Hindus, coupled with the involvement of religious leaders, highlights the perception of identity-based deception. There are established precedents for similar acts, with several previous instances of Muslim shopkeepers adopting Hindu names or presenting themselves as Hindu on the Kanwar Yatra route to attract pilgrims. This has resulted in the desecration of the pilgrimage experience for many Hindus and contributed to ongoing suspicion and heightened communal tensions during religious events. Kanwar devotees observe strict practices during their pilgrimage, and deceiving them in this manner undermines their faith and the sanctity of their traditions. Nevertheless, it remains possible that the Muslim shopkeeper's actions were motivated primarily by economic opportunity, aiming to increase business by appealing to Kanwar pilgrims rather than by religious animosity. Given the range of possible motivations behind this action, this case has been placed in the Undecided database. If any further evidence emerges indicating religious intent behind the Muslim perpetrator's actions, it will then be reclassified and added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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