Brahmin boy’s Janeu cut by four men in Tirunelveli

Case ID : b0f51ad | Location : Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India | Date of Incident : Sat, 21 September, 2024

Case ID : b0f51ad

Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India

21 September, 2024

Brahmin boy’s Janeu cut by four men in Tirunelveli

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for Hindu identity

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Defiling religious customs

Case Summary

In Tamil Nadu, a Brahmin Hindu boy named Akhilesh was attacked by four men while on his way to a religious event in Thiagaraja Nagar on 22nd September. As Akhilesh walked shirtless to attend a bhajan organized by the Asthika Samajam Trust, the attackers confronted him, cut off his sacred thread (Poonool), and threatened him not to wear it again before fleeing. Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy condemned the attack, accusing the ruling DMK government of fostering anti-Brahmin sentiments. He criticized groups like the Dravidar Kazhagam and the Justice Party for spreading hatred against Brahmins and misrepresenting the wearing of the sacred thread as exclusive to them. Thirupathy argued that other communities, such as Chettiars and goldsmiths, also observe the Poonool ritual. A complaint was filed at the Perumalpuram police station, and an investigation led by Assistant Commissioner Vijayakumar reviewed CCTV footage. No evidence of the incident was found. Despite this, Union Minister L Murugan visited Akhilesh's home and assured him that the BJP would press for action.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under two prime categories. The first is- Attack not resulting in death, within which the sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The second prime category under which this case has been placed is- Attack on Hindu religious symbols. Within this, two sub-categories have been selected. The first 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 second sub-category selected under 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols' 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 Janeu, or sacred thread, holds profound significance in Hinduism, especially among certain communities like the Brahmins. It is more than just a physical symbol; it represents spiritual commitment, cultural identity, and adherence to Vedic rituals and values. Here, four men cut off the Janeu of a Hindu boy when he was on his way to a religious event. By doing so, the assailants not only showed a blatant disregard for the Hindu religious symbol but also violated the sanctity of a deeply held custom. Such actions are particularly harmful as they aim to disrespect and invalidate an individual's religious identity and practices. This act is a clear example of religious intolerance, intended to target and humiliate the victim based on his faith, reflecting a broader issue of prejudice against specific religious traditions. Since such actions stem from an inherent Hindumisia, this case qualifies for inclusion in the database.