6 Muslim men, including minors, desecrate and vandalise Chhath Puja Ghat
Purnia, Bihar, India 
6 November, 2024
Case Summary
On 7th November 2024, the ghat prepared for Chhath puja in Bihar's Purnia district was vandalised by the miscreants. Videos of the incident showed puja items scattered across the ground after the vandalism, with some puja items thrown into the water. Locals said that after worshippers left the ghat after offering Arghya Puja to the setting sun on Thursday evening, some Muslims arrived late in the night and vandalised the puja ghat. They removed the banana plants used for the puja, broke the banana leaves, and threw away the flowers and other puja items. This led to massive anger among Hindus, who gathered at the ghat and launched a protest. A police team reached the spot soon after getting information about the incident. The police helped the villagers in redecorating the ghat for puja, and the Chhath Puja continued normally on Friday amid tight security. Acting promptly, police identified 6 persons for the vandalism, and arrested them. The one adult among them is 45-year-old Tajimul, while the rest 5 are minors.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker as a religiously motivated crime under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious symbol. Under this, two sub-categories have been chosen. The first 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 second sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Violence against religious structures and centres. In Hinduism, a religious structure is also considered divine. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the religious structure itself is sacred. In this sub-category, we would document attacks against religious structures which are not consecrated temple spaces. Such religious spaces could be temporary in nature – for example – the religious spaces erected specifically for festivals like Durga Puja etc. This category would also document cases of attacks against religious centres. These spaces in their own right may not be ‘sacred’ per se, however, are often spaces where religious gurus live, religious teaching is imparted, or belong to religious institutions. Any attack against religious structures is a result of animosity towards the religion itself, which manifests itself through the religious spaces and therefore, such attacks are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Religious centres are also manifestations of the religion, its teachings or gurus and therefore, attacks against such centres would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Chhath Puja, an ancient Hindu festival dedicated to the Sun God, holds deep cultural and spiritual significance, especially in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and surrounding areas. The act of damaging the ghat where Chhath Puja rituals are carried out, disrupts the observance of this sacred festival, affecting the local Hindu community’s ability to practice their faith peacefully. This incident reveals an attempt to infringe on the community’s right to religious expression, as the damage to the ghat undermines the preparations for Chhath, a festival that is celebrated with strict ritual and spiritual discipline. Such actions not only disrespect the religious significance of the festival but also serve to intimidate and discourage Hindu worshippers from openly practising their beliefs. The attack, therefore, can be seen as a deliberate attempt to convey animosity against Hinduism by desecrating a sacred space during a time of worship, constituting a religiously motivated hate crime. The other disturbing aspect in this case is that all the accused were minor children. This sheds light on how, tragically, this animosity against the Hindus and their faith seems to be ingrained in them since childhood. The venomous seed of hatred has historically been sown by Muslim radicals particularly targeting Hindus who have borne the brunt of this prejudice. They openly endorse the concept of Islamic supremacy and harbour animosity toward Hindus. Though it was Muslim children who vandalised the Chhath puja ghat, it highlights the Islamists' ingrained animosity against Hinduism, which catalyses these kinds of horrific acts. This instance has been added to the tracker under the following category since disrespect for the Hindu religion is the primary purpose behind this incident.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
male
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