Deliberate attack on Hindu religious sentiments: Muslim man urinates on Shivalinga in Chhattisgarh
Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India 
2 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, a deliberate attack on the religious sentiments of the Hindu community took place when a Muslim man urinated on a Shivalinga kept in a Hindu temple. According to media reports, the incident occurred on the night of 3rd October 2025. The accused was identified as Ashraf Khan, who had urinated on the Shivalinga located in the Durga Temple in Ashok Nagar. As the news spread, local residents became enraged, and tension escalated rapidly in the area. In response to the desecration of the Shivalinga, angry residents pelted stones and vandalised a nearby Muslim settlement. Police immediately reached the location and pacified the agitated crowd, bringing the situation under control. However, due to the heightened tension, police also conducted a flag march to prevent further disturbances. Police officials confirmed that an investigation was underway, and the accused was being interrogated. The vandalism caused during the unrest created fear among residents. Senior police officials stated that the situation was under control, but additional police forces had been deployed in sensitive areas to prevent any further incidents. The public was urged to maintain peace and avoid spreading rumours. Bilaspur CSP (Chief Superintendent of Police) Nimitesh Singh stated that legal action was being taken against Ashraf Khan. He confirmed that the accused had been arrested following the incident and that security forces remained stationed in the area to ensure peace.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory 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 subcategory selected 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. In this case, the accused, Ashraf Khan, urinated on the sacred Shivalinga kept inside the Durga Temple in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. This act constituted not only a physical violation but also a deliberate desecration of a revered Hindu religious symbol. The Shivalinga represents Lord Shiva—the embodiment of creation, preservation, and dissolution in Hindu philosophy—and is one of the most sacred icons in Hindu worship. Urinating on the Shivalinga is a direct attack on this symbol of divinity and hence on the faith and sentiments of the Hindu community itself. Such acts are rooted in deep-seated religious animosity towards Hindus and their practices, reflecting a clear intent to insult and humiliate the community’s sacred beliefs. The desecration of the Shivalinga kept inside a temple also represents an assault on the temple as a whole. In Hindu tradition, Murtis (idols) and Shivalingas are not mere representations but living embodiments of deities. Therefore, defiling them amounts to defiling the entire temple, which functions as an abode of the divine. Hindu temples are not just worship sites—they are deeply revered cultural and spiritual institutions that anchor community life. Any attack on such temples is effectively an attack on the core of Hinduism and the Hindu community. Temples are spaces where devotees seek peace, solace, and divine connection. Daily worship and rituals performed at these temples form an integral part of the mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of Hindu followers. When such spaces are attacked or desecrated, it causes deep psychological harm and instils fear and vulnerability among devotees. Acts like these are intended to provoke anger and reaction, thereby fuelling communal unrest—as witnessed in Bilaspur, where outrage grew following the desecration. Such provocations are intended to disturb social harmony and to target the Hindu community’s sense of safety in practising their faith. Given that this incident involved the deliberate desecration of a sacred Shivalinga—a symbol central to Hindu worship—it meets the criteria for a religiously motivated crime. It specifically targets the Hindu faith and its practitioners, making it a hate crime directed against the Hindu community. Accordingly, this case has been added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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