Hindu temple's land illegally encroached by man in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh
Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India 
24 December, 2025
Case Summary
In the Badhai Kala village of Muzaffarnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu temple's land was illegally encroached by a man named Biram Baru. A complaint was filed by a Hindu man named Pawan Kumar, who stated that Biram Baru, a resident of the same village, had been carrying out unauthorised construction in an attempt to encroach upon the eastern side of the Hindu temple land. He stated the construction activity directly interfered with land traditionally associated with and used by the temple, thereby threatening its physical boundary and sanctity. It was further stated that a dispute had previously occurred between Pawan and the accused regarding the temple wall, which was temporarily settled through the intervention of village members. Despite the matter remaining pending before the court, the accused resumed efforts to occupy the temple land and continued construction activities. Upon receiving the complaint, the police acknowledged the issue, and the station in charge, Satyanarayan Dahiya, stated that a comprehensive investigation would be conducted into the matter and that appropriate legal action would be taken based on the findings.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been documented under the primary category: Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under which, the secondary category selected is: Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land/land near the temple. 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. Not only the Temple but the Temple premises in its entirety are considered sacred by Hindus. In several cases, the premises of the Temple and/or religious centre are illicitly taken over by institutions belonging to other faiths – like the Waqf board or the Church. Other times, the temple property, land or the property of religious centres are illicitly encroached by non-Hindu groups. Any illicit take over or encroachment is a crime an initio, however, when non-Hindu groups illicitly take over or encroach the sacred land of Hindus, it is an affront to the Hindu community and is therefore classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This case has been added to the tracker because of the attempted encroachment and unauthorised construction on a Hindu temple's land in Badhai Kala village. The temple land or areas around the sacred space are not simply a piece of property; they hold profound religious significance for the Hindu community. For Hindus, both the temple and its land are regarded as the abode of the deity. Thus, any form of encroachment or seizure of temple land is an attack on the religious rights and sentiments of Hindus, disrupting their ability to worship and to maintain their sacred spaces. Any unauthorised occupation of this space, especially one that halts worship and religious observance, is a violation of that sanctity. Such an act, regardless of the identity of the offenders, qualifies as a hate crime due to its religious impact and the targeting of a sacred Hindu site. The case further reflected a persistent disregard for the sanctity of Hindu religious spaces. Despite the matter being pending in the court, the accused resumed the construction activity on the temple land. The continuation of such actions in defiance of prior community intervention and ongoing legal proceedings demonstrated an intent to assert control over temple land rather than resolve the matter through lawful means. Such conduct transformed the issue from a routine land disagreement into a matter of religious interference, with the intention to undermine Hindu religious spaces. The temple land encroachment in Badhai Kala, therefore, extended beyond a civil property dispute and reflected hostility toward a Hindu religious institution. The repeated attempts to occupy temple land, despite objections and legal recourse, amounted to an infringement on Hindu religious rights and the collective identity of the local Hindu population. Therefore, this case has been added to the tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case has specified the exact date when the temple encroachment began. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media, 25 December 2025.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
