Hindu Puja pandal set on fire, idols of the Puja burnt and damaged
North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, India 
3 April, 2025
Case Summary
An incident of vandalism targeting a Hindu religious celebration has emerged from West Bengal, where a Basanti Puja pandal was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in the North 24 Parganas district. The incident occurred in the early hours of April 5th, 2025 (Saturday) at the Puja venue organised by Agradoot Club in the Bergum Kachari Bari area, under Gobardanga police station. The fire severely damaged the clay idols, with the main deity collapsing and suffering extensive destruction. This act of desecration took place during the ongoing Basanti Puja, specifically after the observance of the seventh day on April 4th (Friday). The organisers were shocked to discover the burnt and desecrated idols on April 5th (Saturday) morning, leading to widespread outrage. Local residents responded by staging a road blockade, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible. Police from the Gobardanga station rushed to the scene, and the blockade was lifted only after officials assured prompt action.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the first sub-category selected is- Violence against religious structures or 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. The second sub-category 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. This case has been added to the tracker due to the deliberate and targeted nature of the incident that resulted in the desecration and destruction of Hindu religious symbols and structures. Here, the Basanti Puja pandal—an important religious site set up for the duration of the festival—was intentionally set on fire, leading to the destruction of the Puja venue and idols. Additionally, the clay idols, including the principal deity, were not only burnt but also left vandalised and broken, signalling a direct attack on the religious symbols held sacred by the Hindu community. It is also important to mention here that, though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed out of hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
