Hanuman idol vandalised by unknown miscreants, Hindu refuse to celebrate the traditional Devuthani Gyaras festival in protest
Guna, Madhya Pradesh, India 
11 November, 2024
Case Summary
Mrigavas village in Guna district witnessed heightened tension on November 12th night following an incident of desecration at the famous Hanuman temple. Devotees discovered dirt smeared on the eyes of the temple's Balaji idol, sparking outrage among locals. In response, residents closed markets, blocked the main intersection, and sat in protest, refusing to celebrate the traditional Devuthani Gyaras festival. The agitation persisted into Wednesday, with villagers continuing their sit-in demonstration. The incident occurred around 7:30 PM during a kirtan at the temple. The desecration marked the third such act of vandalism in local temples within 15 days. On November 3, a Shivling was stolen from the Shiv temple, while on November 16, garbage was dumped at the Shivalaya in Tejaji Maharaj Ground near the government school. These recurring incidents have intensified public anger, leading to protests by local Hindu organizations and residents.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack not resulting in death. 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 selected 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. Hinduism holds its deities in deep reverence, considering them sacrosanct. Further, Lord Hanuman is revered as one of the principal deities of Hinduism. The perpetrator, in this case, vandalised the idol of Lord Hanuman underscoring the deep-rooted hatred the accused harboured towards Hinduism. Given that the fundamental motivation behind this incident is contempt for the Hindu religion, this instance has been added to the tracker under the following category. It is important to mention here that though the last update was that the miscreants were unknown, regardless, the action stemmed out of hatred against Hinduism and resulted in the desecration of the sacred temple and would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
