Hanuman temple vandalised, idol desecrated
Birbhum district, West Bengal, India 
28 November, 2024
Case Summary
Some unknown miscreants vandalised a Hanuman Temple in Bengal's Birbhum district. West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari shared a video showing the idol of Lord Hanuman on the ground with pieces scattered around. "Last night miscreants vandalised the Lord Hanuman Temple at Indragachha More, Purandarpur Gram Panchayat, Siuri - II Block, Birbhum District. They even desecrated Bajrangbali's Idol. Vandalism in Hindu Temples have now become an alarming trend in West Bengal. I am requesting Rajeev Kumar (IPS); DGP of West Bengal Police to arrest the culprits as quickly as possible," Adhikari said.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The case has been added 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 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. In this case, some unknown miscreants vandalised a Hanuman idol kept inside the Hindu temple. The intent behind the action could only possibly be that of provoking Hindus and showing disrespect towards their faith. Since such callous behaviour can only stem from a profound contempt for the Hindu religion, this case deserves to be recorded in this Hinduphobia tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
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Perpetrators Range
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Perpetrators Gender
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