Hindu sentiments insulted as Muslim man makes derogatory remarks targeting a Hindu goddess on social media
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
8 January, 2026
Case Summary
In Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, Hindu deities were subjected to objectionable and derogatory comments by a Muslim man named Talib Ali. According to reports, on 9 January 2026, a Hindu man named Rahul Chaudhary, a resident of Nasirpur, filed a complaint at Mainather police station stating that objectionable material targeting a Hindu deity was being circulated from a social media account on X (formerly Twitter) operating under the name “TALIB ALI.” The accused, Talib Ali, son of Chunnan, a resident of Alinagar, made derogatory comments targeting a Hindu goddess, an act that directly hurt Hindu religious sentiments and disturbed communal harmony. Acting on the complaint, police registered FIR No. 10/2026 under Section 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) against the accused. He was arrested by the police on January 10, 2026 and subsequently sent to judicial custody. Police also seized the mobile phone used to circulate the offensive content.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. This case has been added to the tracker because Hindu religious sentiments were insulted after the Muslim accused, Talib Ali, made objectionable and derogatory comments targeting a Hindu goddess. For Hindus, these deities occupy an immensely sacred position, central to their faith, upbringing, and daily worship from childhood. They embody profound spiritual reverence, cultural identity, and religious devotion towards these deities. Any act of abusing Hindu deities constitutes a direct assault on Hinduism itself, designed to provoke outrage, inflict deep emotional wounds, and erode the dignity of Hindu believers. This targeted denigration qualifies unequivocally as a hate crime, as it exploits religious vulnerabilities to incite division, foster fear, and violate the sanctity of a community's core beliefs, crossing into criminal territory by weaponising faith against an entire group. When hate speech targets Hindu gods and deities in this manner, it emboldens others, sparking a dangerous ripple effect where individuals feel encouraged to unleash similar vitriolic statements. This proliferation normalises contempt for Hinduism, fostering an environment ripe for escalating Hinduphobia and threatening the social fabric where Hindus can practise their faith without fear. Far from harmless banter, these acts sow seeds of division, amplifying prejudice against Hindus and their faith. In recent times, social media has increasingly become a platform for anti-Hindu hate, with derogatory memes, videos, and messages targeting Hindu religious symbols, practices, and deities. Such content is recognised as part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate crimes online. This deliberate targeting of revered religious icons firmly establishes this act as a religiously motivated hate crime; therefore, it is being categorised under the hate crime database. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incidents based on when an event occurred or when the victim's ordeal began. It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the accused posted the offensive content. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the FIR was filed, 9 January 2026.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
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