Insult to Hindu religious sentiments: Hindu deities abused by man in Uttar Pradesh
Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
17 October, 2025
Case Summary
In Hapur district, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu religious sentiments were insulted after objectionable statements were made against Hindu deities by a man named Mukul. According to reports, Mukul, a resident of Nagaula Haidernagar, created a stir after a video of him making objectionable comments about Hindu deities went viral on social media. In the video, it appeared that another youth provoked Mukul into making statements that could disrupt the religious atmosphere of the area. The video quickly circulated online, causing widespread outrage among local residents and Hindu organisations, who condemned the remarks as an attack on the Hindu faith and demanded strict action against the accused. Hapur City Police Station, with the assistance of the cyber cell, launched a technical investigation to identify those involved in creating and uploading the content. Police officials made it clear that individuals attempting to disturb social harmony would not be spared. Mukul was traced and arrested, and the police registered a case against him under relevant sections of the IT Act, including inciting religious sentiments and disturbing public order. The city police in charge, Devendra Bisht, stated that the youths involved had been identified and would face strict action, reinforcing that comments disrespecting the beliefs of any religion or community would not be tolerated and that social media activity was being closely monitored.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category selected in this case is- Hate Speech against Hindus. The subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. In this case, the accused, Mukul, made objectionable comments targeting Hindu deities in the viral video. These remarks were derogatory in nature and amounted to hate speech, as they insulted and denigrated deities central to the Hindu faith. Hindu deities occupy an immensely important and sacred position in Hinduism and are deeply revered by the Hindu community. Targeting them in a derogatory and abusive manner is not merely offensive; it reflects direct religious animosity towards Hinduism and its followers. By publicly maligning revered Hindu deities, the accused not only disrespected the faith but also incited hostility, making this a clear example of a religiously motivated crime. Such actions are consistent with hate speech, as they were designed to provoke hostility, offend religious sentiments, and spread contempt for Hinduism and its adherents. In recent times, there has been a surge in derogatory memes, comments, abusive posts, and slanders directed towards Hinduism, its deities, the Hindu community, and respected Hindu scholars across online platforms. This case stands as a glaring example within that trend. The accused’s derogatory statements form part of a broader pattern of online Hinduphobia — a toxic environment in which hate against Hindus is normalised and spread through targeted insults and ridicule. Such actions serve to deepen divisions, attack Hindu identity, and vilify an entire faith community. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the video was posted on social media by the accused. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when it was reported in the media.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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