Hanuman idol stolen from Fiji temple amid rising attacks on Hindu sacred sites
Ba, Fiji Islands 
19 August, 2025
Case Summary
In the Ba district of Fiji, a 70-year-old statue of Lord Hanuman was stolen from Wailailai Kuti (a Hindu temple) by some unknown miscreants. According to reports, the theft was discovered by the temple's 68-year-old Assistant Treasurer when he came to the temple in the morning. The 35 cm-high Hanuman idol, which had been cemented to the floor, was stolen in the middle of the night. Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha President, Dhirendra Nand, described the theft as deeply hurtful and confirmed that the organisation would conduct its own internal investigation alongside the police inquiries. Nand stated that CCTV cameras were installed in the temple and urged authorities to examine the footage. He expressed confidence in the law and order of the country and in the police force, and hoped that the truth would be made public soon. He also urged devotees not to be disheartened, as the robbery coincided with the Janmashtami celebrations. This was not an isolated incident; a similar event occurred in July when century-old idols at the Shiv Mandir in Samabula, Suva, were desecrated, and pages were torn from the sacred Ramayan at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir in Labasa in April. The Hinduphobia Tracker has reported the incident. Such incidents have persisted for decades, with Hindu leaders repeatedly calling for stronger security and decisive legal action to protect sacred spaces and symbols.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Temples in Hindu society are not merely physical structures but serve as foundational religious and cultural institutions. Any intrusion, desecration, or looting of temple property directly impacts the collective religious identity of the community. In this case, while the perpetrators remain unidentified and their motives have not yet been established, the theft of the 70-year-old Lord Hanuman idol carries potential religious significance. Previous incidents in Fiji, including the vandalisation of century-old idols at the Shiv Mandir in Samabula and the desecration of religious texts at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir, suggest that Hindu temples have been recurrent targets. These crimes are not always driven by economic motives alone but are also tied to broader patterns of ideological contempt and religious hostility towards Hindu religious symbols. However, since there is no current evidence directly linking the perpetrators' actions to religious hatred or anti-Hindu sentiment, this case has been placed in the 'Undecided' database. Should further investigation uncover motives of religious animosity, the case will be reclassified as a hate crime accordingly.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
