Hindu temple targeted in robbery incident in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India 
1 November, 2025
Case Summary
In Kolar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, a Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Durga was targeted in a robbery incident by an unidentified thief. According to media reports, this incident took place on the night of 2nd November 2025 at the Maa Siddheshwari Durga Temple. A thief entered the temple during the night and stole jewellery from the idol before fleeing. After receiving information about the incident, the police registered a case and began searching for the accused. According to Kolar police, 76-year-old Ghanshyam Sharma, a resident of Sumitra Complex on Kolar Road, served as the priest of the Maa Siddheshwari Durga Temple. Sharma informed the police that he had locked the temple at around 10 p.m. on Sunday, 2nd November 2025, before returning home. When he arrived on the morning of 3rd November 2025, he found the temple lock broken. Upon entering, he discovered that a copper pot, the silver jewellery adorning the idol—a necklace, earrings, a silver umbrella—along with approximately 500 rupees in cash and the temple’s iron boundary grill had been stolen. Following this, the police registered a case against the unknown thief and launched an investigation.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This incident involving the looting of a Hindu temple could potentially be categorised as a religiously motivated hate crime. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack, vandalism, or loot 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 sort of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In many cases, non-Hindus, driven by religious animosity, have been found to loot or attack Hindu temples. However, in this particular case, no explicit evidence currently indicates a religious motive behind the crime. Therefore, it has been placed under the “Undecided” database. If any further information arises suggesting that the incident was motivated by religious hostility, it will be reclassified and added to the Hate Crime Database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
