Hindu temple attacked, Muslim man hurls shoe at deity's idol while chanting Islamic supremacist slogan
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India 
26 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Devarabeesanahalli village, near Marathahalli in Bengaluru, Karnataka, a Hindu temple named Venu Gopalaswamy Temple was vandalised by a Muslim man named Kabir Mondal. The accused was an illegal Bangladeshi immigrant. He attempted to desecrate the main deity, Venugopalaswamy's idol inside the temple, while chanting an Islamic supremacist slogan, "Allah Hu Akbar." According to reports, on the day of the incident, 27th October 2025, Mondal hurled stones at the temple’s gopuram (tower) while shouting ''Allah Hu Akbar''. After this, he entered the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine wearing shoes and attempted to damage the main idol of Lord Venu Gopalaswamy. The gatekeeper idol located at the temple’s entrance was also partially desecrated by the accused. Local eyewitnesses said that upon witnessing the act, they rushed to stop Mondal, overpowered him, tied him to a tree, and then handed him over to the police. A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing a local Hindu resident stating that the accused entered the temple wearing shoes and tried to hit the Venugopalaswamy idol with his shoe. Witnesses further said that Mondal also threatened to destroy the temple entirely. Preliminary police investigations revealed that Kabir Mondal had entered India illegally and had been residing in the city for around five years (2020). He lived in Devarabeesanahalli and worked odd jobs to earn a living. The police said they were verifying how he entered the country and managed to obtain accommodation and employment without proper documentation. A senior officer said, “We are questioning him to find out if he acted alone or had any local support. His immigration status is also being examined.” In the aftermath of the incident, security was tightened around the temple complex. The Karnataka State Reserve Police and local police personnel were deployed in the area as a precautionary measure. Authorities appealed to the public to maintain calm while the investigation continued. Following this, the police registered a case of vandalism and illegal entry against Mondal under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Foreigners Act.
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 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. The other subcategory 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. The other subcategory selected is- Abrahamic religious chanting outside Hindu religious places and/or during Hindu activities. 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. Similarly, religious activities hold deep significance for Hindus, as they are intricately connected to their spiritual, cultural, and social lives. These practices encompass rituals, festivals, prayers, and pilgrimages that celebrate and honour various deities, fostering a sense of spiritual connection, community, and cultural continuity. Given the central significance of Temples and religious activities in Hindu Dharma, any aggressive Abrahamic chanting outside Temples or during religious activities negates the divinity of the religious space because the chanting itself negates the existence of any other God other than the God of the Abrahamic faith. Such chanting is specifically done to negate the faith of Hindus, establish religious supremacy, intimidate the devotees and mock the faith. Besides temples, such Abrahamic chanting outside any Hindu place of worship or religious structure or during any religious activity has the same effect. Since such acts are rooted in an inherent religious supremacist mentality driven by religious animosity, such crimes would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. Another primary category selected is- Hate Speech against Hindus. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Violent Threats. Violent threats, explicit, implicit or implied, is the most dangerous form of hate speech since it goes beyond discriminatory and prejudicial language to express the intent of causing harm to an individual or a group of people based on their religious identity and faith. There could be several different kinds of threats that are issued to Hindus based on religious animosity. An explicit threat would mean the direct threat of violence towards an individual Hindu, a group of Hindus or Hindus at large. Physical violence, death threats, threats of destruction of property belonging to Hindus and threats of genocide would mean explicit threats against Hindus for their religious identity. Implicit threats may not be a direct threat but implied through the use of symbols of actions – for example – in the Nupur Sharma case, other than explicit threats, there were also implicit threats when Islamists took to the streets to burn and beat her effigies. It implies that they want to do the same to Nupur Sharma – thereby is considered an implicit threat. Violent threats can be delivered in person, through letters, phone calls, graffiti, or increasingly through social media and other online platforms. It would be important to understand that a threat – explicit or implicit, online or offline – to an individual who happens to be a Hindu does not qualify as a religiously motivated threat. Such a threat, while vile and dangerous, could be owing to non-religious reasons and/or personal animosity. To qualify as a religiously motivated threat, it would need to exhibit an indication that the individual is being targeted for religious reasons and/or owing to his/her religious identity as a Hindu. This case is a clear instance of an anti-Hindu hate crime against Hindus rooted in religious animosity and deliberate desecration of sacred Hindu symbols. Firstly, it's important to state that a Hindu temple is not merely a building; it is an institution of profound religious and cultural significance for Hindus. Temples serve as sacred abodes of Hindu deities and function as vital centres for spiritual connection, meditation, and community worship. Therefore, an attack on a Hindu temple is an attack on the faith and identity of the entire Hindu community. The accused’s assault on such a sacred place reflects deep-seated religious hatred and causes immeasurable hurt to the collective sentiment of Hindus. Such an attack disrupts the temple ecosystem, which includes not only the physical structure but also the social and spiritual fabric that sustains the Hindu community, marking it as a religiously motivated hate crime. The accused also deliberately violated temple rules by entering the sanctum wearing shoes, an act forbidden in Hindu temples to maintain their purity and sanctity. In Hindu tradition, shoes are always left outside to preserve the temple's sacredness. By knowingly breaking this rule, the accused consciously aimed to defile the holy space, evidencing intentional disrespect and religiously motivated hatred. This deliberate transgression is not a mere breach of protocol but a targeted attack on Hindu religious practices and beliefs, reinforcing the clear nature of this crime as religiously motivated hate. Adding to this, the accused desecrated Hindu religious symbols with acts of vandalism that sharply reflect deep antagonism. He threw stones at the temple’s gopuram (tower), a structure that holds significant symbolic and religious importance. He also damaged the guardian idol situated at the entrance, which is an essential part of the temple’s sacred ecosystem and is revered as a protector of the sanctum. The accused then moved to the main shrine with the intent to desecrate the principal idol of Lord Venugopala Swamy, the temple's presiding deity. In Hindu belief, every part of the temple and its idols is considered holy and treated with reverence. The act of vandalising the sacred symbols, such as the gopuram and the guardian idol, along with attempting to desecrate the main deity’s idol by striking it with a shoe, starkly demonstrates the profound contempt and hatred the accused harbours towards the Hindu faith and community. These actions further underscore the religious hostility that motivated this offence. Throughout the attack, the accused chanted the Islamic supremacist slogan, "Allahu Akbar," which literally means "Allah is the greatest." While traditionally a phrase of religious praise and devotion used by Muslims in prayer and celebration, this slogan has been repeatedly used by Muslim extremists as a weaponised chant to intimidate Hindus and assert Islamic supremacy. This case is far from isolated—this slogan has ominously been heard during numerous violent assaults on Hindus, including the 2020 Delhi riots targeting Hindu homes and temples, the 2022 Karauli violence where Hindu shops were torched, and the Jahangirpuri riots in Delhi where Hindu processions were attacked. This slogan functions as both a battle cry and a religious justification for brutal attacks on Hindus, whom Muslim extremists derogatorily label as ‘Kafirs.’ Its use amidst violence reveals a deeply ingrained belief among Muslim radical elements that their actions carry divine sanction. Such a mindset dehumanises Hindus, fuels further violence, and institutionalises hatred toward the Hindu community. Similarly, in this case, the accused’s chanting of the slogan during the vandalism of the Hindu temple openly signalled his intent to assert Islamic dominance and highlighted religious animosity as the primary motive behind the crime. The accused further intensified his hateful campaign by threatening to destroy the temple entirely. This threat is a clear and violent message aimed directly at the Hindu community, designed to instil fear and intimidate them regarding the safety of their faith and places of worship. Such a declaration goes beyond an expression of anger; it is a deliberate act of religious hostility intended to undermine the Hindu community’s sense of security and religious identity, confirming it as a blatant anti-Hindu hate crime. Given that this case fulfils multiple criteria for a religiously motivated crime, it has been added to the hate crime database maintained by the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
