Hindu temple and Saraswati Puja pandal vandalised; revered statue of temple's founder desecrated by miscreants in Bihar
Munger, Bihar, India 
23 January, 2026
Case Summary
In Munger, Bihar, a Hindu temple named Pachrukhi Chaiti Durga Temple was vandalised by miscreants. The attackers also desecrated the Saraswati Puja pandal that was made inside the temple and caused damage to the statue of the temple founder, Vimalanand Singh alias Vimal Singh. According to reports, this occurred on Saturday, 24th January 2026, late in the night, a day after the Saraswati Puja. The attackers entered the Pachrukhi Chaiti Durga Temple late Saturday night and vandalised the artificial gate, balloon gate, and other decorative structures. They also broke the chairs used for worship in the temple. Furthermore, they damaged the statue of Vimal Singh, the temple's founder, and also vandalised the Saraswati Puja pandal located at Haldhar Sthan Pachrukhi. The locals discovered this and then informed the police. Following this, police from the Dharhara police station also arrived at the scene and conducted an investigation. Police thoroughly examined CCTV cameras installed in the temple premises and surrounding areas to identify the anti-social elements and take strict action against them. Meanwhile, a man named advocate Manish Singh filed a written application with the Dharhara police station, demanding strict legal action against the unidentified individuals. Station House Officer Chandan Kumar confirmed that a person named Manish Singh filed a written complaint against the unidentified individuals. At the time of writing this report, the police investigated the matter.
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- 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 other subcategory 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 subcategory selected is- Violence against religious structures or centres. In Hinduism, a religious structure is also considered divine. Hindus believe that not just the Deity but the religious structure itself is sacred. In this sub-category, we would document attacks against religious structures which are not consecrated temple spaces. Such religious spaces could be temporary in nature – for example – the religious spaces erected specifically for festivals like Durga Puja etc. This category would also document cases of attacks against religious centres. These spaces in their own right may not be ‘sacred’ per se, however, are often spaces where religious gurus live, religious teaching is imparted, or belong to religious institutions. Any attack against religious structures is a result of animosity towards the religion itself, which manifests itself through the religious spaces and therefore, such attacks are considered religiously motivated hate crimes. Religious centres are also manifestations of the religion, its teachings or gurus and therefore, attacks against such centres would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This case stands as a clear instance of a religiously motivated hate crime as the perpetrators brazenly desecrated and vandalised a sacred Hindu temple, the Pachrukhi Chaiti Durga Temple, along with the Saraswati Puja pandal, and damaged the revered statue of the temple's founder. These deliberate acts struck at the heart of Hindu worship spaces, leaving devotees heartbroken and underscoring the religiously motivated intent behind the attack. Firstly, the vandalisation of the temple reveals the deep-seated animosity the perpetrators harboured towards a Hindu place of worship. Hindu temples hold profound significance for Hindus. They serve as living embodiments of the Hindu faith, community gatherings, and divine connection, where rituals connect believers to their gods and ancestors. Any attack on such a sacred space shatters this reverence and signals hostility towards Hindu identity itself. This case exemplifies a religiously motivated hate crime driven by such enmity. The perpetrators went further by damaging the statue of the temple's founder, Vimalanand Singh alias Vimal Singh. For local Hindus, this figure carries immense importance; he built the temple from the ground up, turning it into a holy sanctuary that stands as a testament to devotion and community spirit. Hindus revere him as a foundational pillar of their faith in the area, almost like a guardian of their sacred heritage. Destroying his statue shows utter contempt not just for the temple but for the Hindu community and those who sacrifice to preserve their traditions, marking it as a direct assault on a cherished symbol of Hindu pride. Additionally, the perpetrators completely vandalised the Saraswati Puja pandal just one day after the joyous Saraswati Puja celebrations. Puja pandals represent the vibrant spirit of Hindu festivals; they transform into temporary sacred spaces bursting with devotion, where families honour Goddess Saraswati for knowledge and prosperity. Striking the pandal so soon after the rituals exposes raw religious animosity aimed at wounding Hindu festivities and inflicting profound pain on the community. These combined acts of desecration targeted the core of the Hindu faith and sacred spaces, cementing this as a blatant anti-Hindu hate crime. In this case, even though the perpetrators' identities remain unknown, the act clearly demonstrates raw religious hostility towards the Hindu community and their religion. Therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
