Hindu homes attacked, Shiva temple desecrated, lingam defiled, Muslim mob urinated inside temple in Murshidabad
Murshidabad, West Bengal, India 
12 April, 2024
Case Summary
In Murshidabad district of West Bengal, amid election campaigns and Bengali New Year celebrations, Hindus faced an attack. Around 10 PM, a Muslim mob targeted Hindus in Mirzapur village under the Beldanga Police Station. Several houses were damaged during the attack, and a motorcycle was completely destroyed. A Shiva temple was also vandalised. Villagers stated that the Shiva Lingam was desecrated, with attempts made to uproot it, and Islamists urinated inside the temple. A large police force arrived at the scene to control the situation and restore order. To prevent further violence, Section 144 was imposed in the area. Despite the police intervention, Hindus in the village continued to live in fear. No arrests were reported.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Attack not resulting in death. 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 other primary category selected is - Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it the sub-category 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 sub-category relevant here 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 other sub-category relevant here is: - Breaking rules of place of worship. 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. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance 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 presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. In this case, the Hindu residents of Mirzapur village were targeted by a Muslim mob during the night of Bengali New Year celebrations. The victims did not provoke the attack in any way, nor was there any political clash that could justify the violence. They were attacked solely because they were Hindus, as indicated by the selective targeting of Hindu houses and a Hindu temple. The mob violence here was driven by religious animosity and thus must be classified as a hate crime against Hindus. The attack included the desecration of a Shiva temple, where the Shiva Linga—a core religious symbol of the Hindu faith—was vandalised. The Shiva Linga is not just a stone representation; it is the very embodiment of Lord Shiva’s presence for devotees. By desecrating it, the attackers directly expressed their hostility towards Hinduism itself, not just the villagers. Desecration of Hindu icons and sacred representations reflects a hatred of the faith because these murtis and symbols are central to Hindu spiritual practice. Therefore, this aspect of the incident is a textbook example of a religiously motivated hate crime. Hindus revere the temple space as sacred, where puja rituals, offerings, and festivals are conducted according to traditions passed down for millennia. The act of urinating inside the temple is a deliberate defilement of Hindu customs and traditions associated with temple sanctity and worship. Such an act is not only a physical insult but also a direct spiritual violation for the devotees, as it defiles the sanctity of their religious practice. This goes beyond mere vandalism; it is an intentional humiliation of Hindu religious customs, making it a hate crime rooted in contempt for Hindu traditions. Temples have their own codes of purity, conduct, and worship, often followed strictly by devotees and priests. Entering a temple to vandalise and desecrate it, and worse, urinating inside, represents a total violation of these sacred rules. The sanctum of a Shiva temple is meant to be preserved in purity for prayers and rituals, and any deliberate act of desecration reflects hostility towards the presiding deity and the devotees who maintain those traditions. By breaking these religious rules and showing contempt for them, the attackers committed an act that directly qualifies as a religiously motivated hate crime against the sanctity of a Hindu place of worship.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
