Hindu villagers subjected to severe threats for opposing illegal encroachment on Hindu temple land in Mathura
Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India 
12 February, 2026
Case Summary
In Ward Number 25, Chharaura, under the Mathura Municipal Corporation area, Uttar Pradesh, a land belonging to a Hindu temple was illegally encroached upon by two individuals, namely Deepak and Pramod. The Hindu temple was an ancestral shrine for the Dalit Hindu community. It also consisted of an ancient well. Deepak and Pramod, residents of Chharaura village, were forcibly constructing a boundary wall on the temple site in order to occupy the land. Local Hindu residents filed a complaint with the District Magistrate demanding action against the illegal construction and the intimidation tactics used by the perpetrators. According to local residents, the temple, shrine, and well were centuries-old sites of religious and social significance that had been used by the general public for a long time. The site was particularly important to the Dalit Hindu community, as it was connected to their faith and tradition. A Hindu woman complainant from the village stated that Deepak and Pramod were forcibly carrying out construction work on the temple land. When villagers attempted to oppose the illegal construction, the perpetrators threatened them and created an atmosphere of fear. According to her statement, villagers had protested multiple times against the encroachment, but the perpetrators silenced them by displaying weapons and intimidating them. The complainants stated that Deepak and Pramod repeatedly fired illegal weapons into the air to spread terror in the area. This tactic was used to prevent villagers from resisting the land grab. Additionally, those who filed complaints or spoke out against the encroachment were threatened with being implicated in false cases and subjected to physical assault. The aggrieved party stated that these individuals had already occupied residential land in the village and built houses on it. With political protection, they were continuously attempting to occupy other public lands as well, including this religious site. This systematic pattern of land grabbing created a tense atmosphere in the area. The complainants submitted a formal complaint to the District Magistrate demanding that the administration immediately stop the illegal construction work and take strict legal action against the perpetrators. They also urged the police to conduct an impartial investigation into the entire matter and to take necessary action to protect the public religious land from encroachment.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
The primary category for this case is "Attack on Hindu religious representations". The sub-category for this case is "Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land". 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. Another primary category selected is- Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory selected is- Attacked for oposing radicals or trying to save victim. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. In this incident, the land belonging to a Hindu temple in Ward Number 25, Chharaura, under the Mathura Municipal Corporation area, Uttar Pradesh, underwent illegal encroachment, and a boundary wall was forcibly constructed on it by the perpetrators, Deepak and Pramod. This constituted a hate crime against Hindus as the temple land was not simply a piece of property; it held profound religious significance for the Scheduled Caste Hindu community, serving as a public temple, an ancestral shrine for elders, and an ancient well. For Hindus, both the temple and its land embody the abode of the deity. Any form of encroachment or seizure of temple land attacked the religious rights and sentiments of Hindus, disrupting their ability to worship and maintain their sacred spaces. Any unauthorised occupation of this space violates the sanctity of the temple. Such an act, regardless of the identity of the offenders, qualified as a hate crime due to its religious impact and the targeting of a sacred Hindu site. Furthermore, the Hindu villagers were brutally threatened and terrorised by the encroachers when they opposed the temple land encroachment. Displays of weapons, firing illegal shots into the air, and threats of false cases and physical assault escalated the crime from property violation to targeted aggression against Hindus protecting their faith and sacred spaces. These verbal assaults intimidated and silenced those who safeguarded Hindu religious institutions. Such acts stood as a direct affront to the Hindu community, as they deterred them from protecting their places of worship. When villagers faced threats and intimidation for resisting illegal encroachment, it demonstrated hostile intent not only towards the individuals but also towards the Hindu faith and its adherents, thereby making it a crime motivated by religious hostility towards Hindus and their religion. Given that this case meets the parameters of a religiously motivated crime, it is being added to the hate crime database of the tracker. Disclaimer: The Hinduphobia Tracker records incident dates based on when the crime occurs, not when the media reports it. In this case, media reports did not specify the exact date the encroachment began. Hence, the publication date, 13 February 2026, serves as the indicative incident date. This is recorded for documentation purposes only.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
