Mahashivratri festival desecrated; two girls perform intimate and obscene acts during religious procession
Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India 
14 February, 2026
Case Summary
In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Hindu religious sentiments were insulted when two girls performed intimate and obscene gestures in a religious procession on the occasion of Mahashivratri. The incident occurred on 15 February 2026, on the occasion of Mahashivratri, where large numbers of Hindu devotees gathered to celebrate the festival dedicated to Lord Shiva. DJ vehicles, drums and devotional music accompanied the many Shobha Yatras that were roaming through different parts of the city. During one such procession, a video surfaced on social media showing two girls standing atop a DJ vehicle amid the religious procession. The two women were seen standing face to face, holding each other closely and kissing each other, while music played in the background and crowds participated in the procession. The visuals quickly went viral, shifting public attention from the religious observance to the obscene conduct captured in the recording. Following the circulation of the video, social media users reacted strongly, with several individuals expressing anger and stating that such obscene behaviour brought disrepute to the religious occasion and to the cultural image of Chhattisgarh. Some users also criticised this as inappropriate conduct during a sacred festival. Local Hindu organisations also expressed displeasure, stating that discipline and decorum should be maintained during religious gatherings. They indicated that they would gather information and consider filing a complaint regarding the incident.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of - Attack on Hindu religious representation. Within it, the sub-category selected is - Defiling religious customs. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The case has been added to the tracker because two girls made obscene gestures in a religious procession on the occasion of Mahashivratri, thereby insulting Hindu religious sentiments. The two girls were standing atop a DJ vehicle during the Shobha Yatra and engaging in intimate physical gestures, including kissing, in full public view, amid an ongoing religious procession dedicated to Lord Shiva. Mahashivratri is one of the most sacred festivals in Hinduism, dedicated to Lord Shiva, during which devotees fast, offer prayers, and perform rituals that symbolise spiritual purification and devotion. Religious processions and Shobha Yatras form an integral part of the observance in many regions, where participants chant devotional songs, carry symbolic items, and publicly express their faith. Such gatherings are not merely cultural events but acts of collective religious worship rooted in centuries-old traditions within Sanatan Dharma. Any act that disrupts, disrespects or desecrates these traditions, particularly during solemn religious occasions, is an infringement upon the community’s right to practise and preserve its faith. The incident took place during a sacred Hindu religious procession and in a setting explicitly dedicated to religious observance. While consensual kissing in isolation may not constitute a criminal act, the context, timing, and location rendered the act an obscene gesture within a religious ceremony, which was extremely disrespectful. Performing intimate acts in a religious procession, part of a Mahashivratri, was a deliberate defilement of religious decorum and a breach of norms governing sacred gatherings. The conduct occurred not in a neutral social space but within an explicitly religious environment, thereby transforming personal behaviour into a public affront to a faith-based ritual. When actions that are widely regarded as obscene are performed in the midst of solemn devotional observances, they cease to be purely private expressions and instead assume the character of a public defilement of religious practice. Such actions demonstrate disregard for the sanctity of the festival and the sentiments of devotees and therefore meet the threshold of a religiously motivated hate crime within the tracker.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
female
Sources 
