Attack on Hindu faith: Hanuman Murti desecrated, Temple vandalised in Chitpur, Kolkata
Kolkata, West Bengal, India 
5 April, 2024
Case Summary
In Kolkata's Chitpur area, a Hindu temple was attacked, and the Murti of Sri Hanuman was vandalised. The incident occurred during a Shitala Mata Puja organised by local Hindus. According to reports, some local Muslims raised objections to the use of loudspeakers for the Puja, particularly during the Azan. According to local Hindus, when they refused to turn off the loudspeakers, a group of Muslims gathered and attacked the Puja mandap. The Shitala Mata Puja setup was vandalised, and a nearby Hanuman temple was also targeted, resulting in damage to the Murti of Sri Hanuman. Upon learning about the attack, Swami Paramatma Nandaji Maharaj visited the site and demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible. He criticised the police and administration for their inaction and urged Hindus to unite in response to such incidents.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The sub-category relevant in this case is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. 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 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 attack on the Hanuman temple in Chitpur, where the Murti of Shri Hanuman was vandalised, is a clear act of desecration of a Hindu religious symbol. In Hindu Dharma, a Murti is not merely a symbolic object but the living manifestation of divinity, to which daily worship, offerings, and rituals are dedicated. The deliberate damage to such a sacred Murti reveals deep-seated animosity towards Hindu spiritual traditions. Desecrating the Murti is a targeted act intended to insult, humiliate, and psychologically wound Hindus by attacking one of the most central aspects of their faith. Since Hindu iconography—including Murtis—forms a bridge between the divine and the devotee, its violation cannot be seen as random vandalism but as a religiously motivated hate crime designed to diminish and attack the Hindu identity itself. The Chitpur incident also involves an attack on the very space where Hindus were engaged in worship during the Shitala Mata Puja. Hindu temples and Puja mandaps are regarded as sacred spaces, embodying the presence of the Deity and infused with divine energy. Any form of attack on these spaces is inherently an attack on Hindu Dharma itself. By targeting the Puja mandap and subsequently vandalising a nearby Hanuman temple, the perpetrators attempted to disrupt and dishonour a Hindu act of devotion in its most sacred setting. Such attacks strike at the heart of Hindu communal life and are thus born out of hostility towards the Hindu faith. In this sense, the violence in Chitpur represents more than an assault on physical property—it is a direct attack on Hindu religious existence, making it a religiously motivated hate crime. Disclaimer: It is important to clarify that none of the media sources covering this case have specified the exact date on which Murti was desecrated. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
