Hindu devotee attacked for objecting to removal of Ram Navami flag

Case ID : aa4ae70 | Location : Bokaro, Jharkhand, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 6 April, 2025

Case ID : aa4ae70

Bokaro, Jharkhand, India

6 April, 2025

Hindu devotee attacked for objecting to removal of Ram Navami flag

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Breaking rules of place of worship

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Case Summary

In Khunta village of Potso Panchayat, situated in Nawadih police station area under Bermo subdivision of Bokaro district, Jharkhand, a member of the Hindu community was assaulted for raising objection to the removal of a religious flag that had been hoisted for Ram Navami celebrations. The religious flag was removed by a member of the Muslim community. When a local Hindu resident confronted him, an altercation ensued, during which the Hindu man sustained injuries. In retaliation, villagers entered the residence of the accused and set fire to a fenced area next to his house. The police promptly took the accused, Farukh Ansari, into custody. The conflict centred around a small temple featuring a murti of Hanuman located adjacent to the house of the accused. As part of the Ram Navami festivities, a religious flag known as the Mahaveeri Pataka had been installed near the temple. The next day, the accused was seen removing the flag, which was witnessed by a local Hindu villager. When the latter objected, he was physically assaulted and injured. Following the escalation, police and administrative officials moved swiftly to bring the situation under control. The administration stated that the situation was stable and under surveillance to prevent any further disturbances.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the 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. The other sub-category 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 primary category relevant is- Attack not resulting in death. The sub-category selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This case has been added to the tracker because the act of removing a saffron flag installed on the occasion of Ram Navami—especially near a Bajrangbali murti—constituted a direct affront to a symbol of religious significance for the local Hindu community. Such flags are not mere decorations but hold deep spiritual and cultural value, symbolising reverence and celebration in honour of Hindu deities. In this instance, the act of tampering with a religious installation situated adjacent to a murti of Bajrangbali violated the customary observances surrounding Hindu places of worship. Such installations, particularly during religious festivals like Ram Navami, follow age-old traditions that reflect the devotion and spiritual continuity of the community. Interfering with these traditions not only disrupted the sanctity of the worship space but demonstrated disregard for the sentiments and practices integral to the local Hindu population. This act, therefore, is viewed not as a mere provocation, but as a deliberate violation of a sacred space, making it a religiously motivated hate crime. Also, the injured man became a target not because of his personal identity alone, but because he was perceived as a protector or representative of Hindu religious customs. His protest against the desecration of a sacred Hindu symbol made him a direct object of violence.