Hindu men attacked and issued death threats, saffron flags desecrated by Muslims in Uttar Pradesh
Basti, Uttar Pradesh, India 
24 September, 2025
Case Summary
In Rajwapur, Basti, Uttar Pradesh, two Hindu men named Bharat Lal and Prem Kumar were subjected to violence and death threats by Muslim youths for placing saffron flags. Following this, the Muslim perpetrators also desecrated the sacred saffron flags. According to media reports, the attack took place on 25th September 2025, when Hindu organisers of the Durga Puja festival began putting up their saffron flags and banners along a route. Muslims from the locality accused them of damaging their Barawafat decorations. Following this, a group of Muslim men armed with sharp weapons stormed the Durga Puja pandal on motorcycles. In his police complaint, Bharat Lal, the village head, stated that Aftab alias Ghulam, Jishan, Abdul Sayed, Qasim, and Kallu, all residents of Rajvapur, violently assaulted him and Prem Kumar. They grabbed them by their collars, dragged them, desecrated the saffron flags, and repeatedly threatened to kill them before fleeing the scene. Villagers confirmed that one of the motorcycles used by the assailants had no number plate, and a search led to the recovery of knives and other sharp weapons from its storage compartment. The Circle Officer, Sanjay Singh, confirmed that a police case had been registered based on Bharat Lal's complaint and assured that the accused would be arrested. Subsequently, the police successfully arrested three of the Muslim perpetrators.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack not resulting in death. The subcategory selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The other subcategory selected is- Communal Clash/ Attack. Communal clash is a form of collective violence that involves clashes between groups belonging to different religious identities. For a communal clash between Hindus and non-Hindus to qualify as a religiously motivated hate crime, the trigger of the violence itself would have to be anti-Hindu in essence. For example, if there is a Hindu religious procession that comes under attack from a non-Hindu mob and after the initial attack, Hindus retaliate in self-defence, leading to a communal clash between the two religious communities. While at a later stage, both communities are involved in the clash/violence, the initial trigger of the violence was by the non-Hindu mob against the Hindus and therefore, it could safely be termed as an anti-Hindu violence. Further, the trigger would also have to be religiously motivated. In the cited example, the attack by the non-Hindu mob was against religious processions and therefore, can be concluded to be religiously motivated. In some cases, the trigger may be non-religious, however, it develops into religious violence against Hindus at a later stage. In such cases too, the foundational animosity towards Hindus becomes the motivating factor of the crime and therefore, it would be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus under this category. Another primary category selected is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the 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. This case clearly qualifies as an anti-Hindu hate crime reflecting deep-seated religious animosity and targeted violence, as the Muslim youths claimed—without any proof—that Hindus had removed their Barawafat decorations and placed saffron Hindu flags. Instead of following any legal or peaceful route, such as reporting to the police or filing complaints, they resorted to immediate and brutal violence. This violent response, bypassing legal procedures, indicates intolerance and hostility towards the Hindu community's religious expression. Secondly, the violence was deliberately targeted at the Hindu victims specifically because they hoisted the saffron flags—an overt symbol of Hindu identity and faith. This was not a random attack but an assault on the Hindu community for publicly displaying their religious symbol. The physical assault on two Hindu men, coupled with death threats against them, underscores the religiously motivated nature of the crime aimed at attacking, intimidating, and silencing Hindu expression. Moreover, the Muslim youths desecrated the saffron flags by tearing and throwing them down. In Hinduism, the saffron flag holds immense religious significance as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and the spiritual identity of Hindus. The act of desecrating this revered symbol is a direct manifestation of deep-seated hatred and disrespect towards the Hindu faith and culture. This desecration itself is a grave religious offence and an expression of anti-Hindu animosity. Importantly, these acts of violence and desecration took place within the Durga Puja pandal—a site of profound religious and cultural significance to Hindus. Durga Puja is a major festival celebrating the divine feminine power, revered deeply by Hindus. Committing violence during this sacred festival at the pandal reveals the perpetrators' calculated intent to attack the victims’ religious sentiments and community identity. For all these reasons, this case demonstrates clear evidence of an anti-Hindu hate crime. The violence, threats, and desecration were motivated by religious hatred meant to intimidate the Hindu victims and the larger Hindu community, punish them for their faith, and suppress their public religious expressions. Therefore, it is appropriate that this incident is included in the hate crime database of the Hinduphobia Tracker.
Victim Details
Total Victim
2
Deceased
0
Gender
- Male 2
- Female 0
- Third Gender 0
- Unknown 0
Caste
- SC/ST 0
- OBC 0
- General 0
- Unknown 2
Age Group
- Minor 0
- Adult 2
- Senior Citizen 0
- Unknown 0
Case Status
Case sub-judice
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 2 To 5
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
