Hindu temple desecrated by unknown miscreants, Lord Shiva idol vandalised
Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India 
25 November, 2023
Case Summary
In the Sambhal city of Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu temple was vandalized by some unknown anti-social elements, who also destroyed the idol of the Hindu Lord Shiva. The incident occurred on the night of 26th November 2023. However, it came to the fore only after some devotees discovered the broken idols after they arrived at the temple post-Ganga snan, the next morning. The devotees and the locals immediately informed the Police who reached the spot and began the investigation. The police also filed an FIR against unknown miscreants for vandalizing a Hindu temple. The FIR was filed based on the complaint filed by a local Hindu identified as Pramod Kumar. Meanwhile, the authorities replaced the temple idol with a new one. The enraged devotees demanded strict action against the accused for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
According to the case details, 'attack on Temples' and 'desecration of Hindu religious symbol' are the two sub-categories under the core category 'attack on Hindu religious symbols' under which this case has been listed. The first relevant sub-category in this case is, 'Attack on Temples'. 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. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The second sub-category relevant in this case 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. In this case, despite understanding that temples are centres of worship and sanctity for Hindus, the perpetrator vandalised the premises and broke the Shiva idol. It is 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 temples and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
N/A
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
