Hindu place of worship attacked; miscreants break idols and install photo of BR Ambedkar

Case Summary
A mob of extremists laid siege at a Shiv temple in Udiagarhi village in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh. The area falls under the jurisdiction of the Naujhil police station. The extremists reportedly vandalised the temple, broke the idols of the deities and set the premises on fire. They took to the destruction of the trident and snake placed atop the ancient Shiv temple. Images of deities were torn and set ablaze. The extremists also attempted to install a statue of BR Ambedkar within the temple. They fled after being chased away by the villagers. The damage caused to the premises could be clearly seen in visuals shared on social media. The locals prevented the extremists from carrying out further destruction once they learnt about the matter. They informed the police, following which a team was rushed to the scene. The police have received complaints against a total of 5 extremists, who are responsible for carrying out vandalism at the ancient Shiv temple. They were identified as Pawan, Raju, Lokendra, Krishna and Rohit.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category of- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the first sub-category selected 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 here 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 Hinduism, temples are sacred spaces of worship, and the deities are revered with deep respect. Acts of temple vandalism and deliberate idol desecration, as demonstrated in this case, are seen as deeply offensive and sacrilegious. Such actions often stem from entrenched animosity and an intent to insult the faith. This clear attack on religious sentiments exemplifies hate and justifies its inclusion in the tracker.

Case Status
Arrested

Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
male