Minor Hindu boy assaulted over wearing garland of Lord Ayyappa in St. Joseph's school in Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka
Chikmagalur, Karnataka, India 
18 December, 2025
Case Summary
A class VII Hindu student, Irumudi, was assaulted by the school principal for wearing a mala of Lord Ayyappa and denied leave on Dusshera to visit Sabrimala in St. Joseph School, Chikkamagaluru, Karnataka. The student had gone to school wearing an Ayappa Swamy mala (a sacred Hindu devotional symbol associated with Lord Ayyappa). The principal questioned the student about who had permitted him to wear the mala and assaulted him. The school board also denied the student leave on the occasion of Dussehra. It is noteworthy to mention that Dusshera holds religious importance for Lord Ayyappa Swami worshippers. After the incident came to light, activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Ayyappa mala dharis gathered and staged a protest demanding equal application of the rules, stating that the religious sentiments of children must not be hurt. During the protest, they also raised questions about why leaves were granted for other festivals without a government order, but denied a student going to Sabrimala as per local tradition. The School Principal came forward and publicly apologised for the whole incident.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
In this case, the school principal assaulted a Hindu student for wearing the Ayyappa Mala and Ayyappa Deeksha attire—the black religious clothes worn by Ayyappa devotees. This act sparked outrage among Hindus, who said that the action of the school administration was driven by prejudice against their faith. This is not the first time such controversy has erupted. In 2022, in Karnataka, a heated debate erupted when Muslim girls insisted on wearing burqas and hijabs in schools and classrooms. At that time, politicians, social commentators, Hindu activists, and even the judiciary argued that schools have the right to enforce uniform rules. Uniformity was seen as a means to promote harmony and equality within classrooms. Therefore, disallowing hijabs was deemed enforcement of uniform policy rather than religious discrimination. Similar logic can apply here. The school's restriction on wearing the black Ayyappa Deeksha attire may well have been an enforcement of uniform regulations rather than an act motivated by religious bias. However, if the school allowed Muslim students to wear hijabs but barred Hindu students from wearing their religious symbols, it would certainly amount to a hate crime, exposing blatant discrimination and double standards. At present, based on available information, such differential treatment does not appear evident in this case. Therefore, this case is being added to the 'Undecided' database of the Hinduphobia Tracker. If any further information emerges indicating religious bias, it will be reclassified and added to the Hate Crime database. Disclaimer: Media reports do not specify the exact date when the incident happened or when the video was recorded. Therefore, for documentation purposes, 19th December 2025 is being taken as the indicative date of the incident, the original date when the case was reported in the media. Hinduphobia Tracker records the date when the victim’s ordeal begins rather than the date when it is reported in the media, but in the present case, since the date is not mentioned, the date reported in the media is considered.
Victim Details
Total Victim
1
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 1
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 1
Age Group
- Minor 1
- Adult 0
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Christian Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
