Unidentified youths disrupt Kedarnath temple premises with loud music and dance
Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, India 
30 April, 2025
Case Summary
In Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district, an FIR was registered against a group of unidentified youths for actions that violated the sanctity of the Kedarnath temple premises. The case was filed after a video surfaced on May 6 showing the youths dancing to loud DJ music and creating a public disturbance in the rear area of the Kedarnath temple. According to authorities, the incident occurred before the official opening of the temple on May 2. The case was lodged under Section 298 of the BNS, which pertains to the desecration of a place of worship. The complaint was submitted by Girish Devli, the in-charge officer of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC), following the circulation of a viral video on social media platforms. The Rudraprayag Police, through their social media, initiated efforts to identify the individuals seen in the video using various online platforms. The incident drew sharp criticism from both religious authorities and the public, with officials emphasising the need to uphold the dignity and sanctity of Kedarnath Dham, a revered Hindu pilgrimage site. As of the date of writing this report, the investigation was ongoing, and police assured that strict legal action would be taken against the offenders.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it, the 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 sub-category selected is - Defiling religious customs. 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. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement 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 religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The actions of the group of unidentified youths at the sacred Kedarnath temple premises constitute more than mere public nuisance or irresponsible behaviour—they reflect a deliberate act of religious desecration and must be recognised as a hate crime. The incident involved loud DJ music, dancing, and public disturbance within a sanctified space that holds immense spiritual and religious significance for millions of Hindus. Kedarnath is not just a tourist location; it is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in Sanātana Dharma, and any attempt to defile or dishonour its sanctity is an affront to the faith itself. Playing loud DJ music and engaging in disruptive be near the Kedarnath temple premises is not merely an act of public nuisance; it constitutes a direct affront to the sanctity of a revered pilgrimage site. Such acts not only disturb the spiritual atmosphere but also foster a climate of hostility towards Hindu temples and the broader cultural ethos of Sanatan Dharma. By normalising the breach of temple rules, this behaviour reinforces a narrative that these sacred customs are optional or dismissible, thereby fostering an environment of hostility and cultural insensitivity toward Hindu religious institutions and practices. Such deliberate violations cannot be viewed in isolation; they must be recognised as part of a broader pattern of disrespect and bias against Hindu places of worship. Hence, this case is included in the hate crime database. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the incident occurred, but it mentions that the video surfaced on social media on May 6 2025. According to authorities, the incident occurred before the official opening of the temple on May 2. Since this is the earliest date mentioned, we are considering a date before the earliest date mentioned as the incident date. While media coverage of the incident emerged on May 6, 2025, the Hinduphobia Tracker records the incident based on when the victim’s ordeal began, not when it was reported.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
