Hindu temple encroached by Muslim man in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, daily worship disrupted
Raisen, Madhya Pradesh, India 
13 December, 2025
Case Summary
A Hindu temple locality in the Mandideep area in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh was encroached upon by a Muslim man, Shanu Miyan. The accused blocked the approach to the 100-year-old Khedapati Mata temple by storing scrap and waste material in the adjoining area. He continued to do so despite repeated complaints to municipal and revenue authorities. The encroachment had blocked access routes, disrupted daily worship, and affected preparations for an upcoming religious programme, leaving locals frustrated at the lack of administrative response. With no action from officials, members of the Hindu community gathered and cleared the site themselves, removed the scrap, and reopened access to the temple premises. People from different age groups participated, including women, and slogans were raised during the clearance. No violence or injuries were reported. At the time of reporting, district authorities had not issued a statement or clarified whether action had been taken against those responsible, highlighting gaps in administrative oversight near places of worship.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been documented under the primary category: Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under which, the secondary category selected is: Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land/land near the temple. 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. Not only the Temple but the Temple premises in its entirety are considered sacred by Hindus. In several cases, the premises of the Temple and/or religious centre are illicitly taken over by institutions belonging to other faiths – like the Waqf board or the Church. Other times, the temple property, land or the property of religious centres are illicitly encroached by non-Hindu groups. Any illicit take over or encroachment is a crime an initio, however, when non-Hindu groups illicitly take over or encroach the sacred land of Hindus, it is an affront to the Hindu community and is therefore classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. This case constitutes a religiously motivated hate crime as it involved the deliberate encroachment on land adjoining the 100-year-old Khedapati Mata temple in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. The encroachment, carried out by a Muslim man, Shanu Miyan, blocked access to the temple, disrupted daily worship, and interfered with preparations for an upcoming religious programme. The act was not a neutral property dispute but directly targeted a space of religious significance to the Hindu community, impacting their ability to freely practice their faith. By obstructing access to a sacred site and interfering with worship, the encroachment specifically affected the Hindu community based on their religious identity. The combination of targeted action, disruption of religious practices, communal context, and administrative neglect demonstrates clear hostility toward Hindus, fulfilling the criteria of a religiously motivated hate crime under the categories of attack on Hindu religious representations and encroachment of temple land. It is thus added to the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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