Chamunda Mataji temple in Mandore attacked with stones; miscreants hurled abuses
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India 
14 August, 2025
Case Summary
In Mandore, Rajasthan, the unknown miscreants pelted stones on the Chamunda Mataji temple and hurled abuses. According to the report filed by Paramendra Singh on behalf of the temple trust, the incident occurred on 15 August, a day when large crowds had gathered in the hilly areas around the temple. Devotees were visiting the shrine in connection with Independence Day as well as the ongoing Baba Ramdevra fair. During this time, a few youths who had come to the area tried to climb the temple stairs to go further inside. When the priests and trust members stopped them, the group started pelting stones at the temple. The police have registered a case and begun an investigation. The temple is located in a religiously significant area near Nagadari, where devotees frequently visit. Notably, this is not the first such incident. Earlier too, stone pelting had taken place at the temple, drawing strong objections from the administration.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu Religious Representations. The subcategory 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 other sub-category selected 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. The other subcategory selected is- Breaking rules of place of worship. 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. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance 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 presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, the unknown miscreants pelted stones at the temple. The Chamunda Mataji temple is a sacred Hindu shrine where devotees gather for worship and festivals. Pelting stones at the temple and hurling abuses during such a gathering is not a random act of violence—it directly targets a Hindu place of worship. This act desecrates the sanctity of the temple, disrupts religious practice, and sends a hostile message to Hindus that their sacred spaces are unsafe. Such targeted attacks on places of worship constitute hate crimes because they are directed against the religious identity of a community. Hurling abuses inside the Chamunda Mataji temple premises amounts to defilement of a holy site. In Hindu tradition, temples are considered pure spaces meant for prayer, devotion, and the silence of the mind. The act of shouting profanities within the sanctum area contaminates the spiritual atmosphere and directly insults the sanctity of the deity and the devotees present. This is not simply bad behaviour—it is a targeted attempt to desecrate a Hindu place of worship. Hence, it falls under the category of defiling a sacred Hindu space. Every temple functions with a set of rules that maintain discipline, purity, and respect. Devotees are expected to conduct themselves with humility and reverence. By hurling abuses in the temple premises, the miscreants violated these rules of sanctity. Such behaviour disrupts religious order, dishonours the priests and trustees, and breaks the sacred code of conduct that governs Hindu worship. It is also important to mention here that, though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed from hatred against Hinduism. Therefore, it is considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
