Derogatory video targeting Hindu deities posted on Instagram sparks outrage in Ballia
Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, India 
23 June, 2025
Case Summary
In a village in the Bhimpura area of Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh, a derogatory video targeting Hindu deities was uploaded on social media by a man named Sunny Kumar. According to media reports, Sunny Kumar created and shared an objectionable video featuring Hindu deities on his Instagram account. After the video went viral, several Hindu organisations expressed outrage and staged protests. Bajrang Dal worker Aditya Raj also voiced strong condemnation of the act on social media. Following this, members of the Bajrang Dal filed an official complaint and demanded strict action against the accused. The police registered a case and identified Sunny Kumar as the perpetrator. A police team was dispatched to arrest him. During the operation, Sunny Kumar, along with his mother and others, misbehaved with the police and attacked them. Superintendent of Police Omveer Singh said, "The police have arrested Sunny Kumar. Additionally, a case has been registered against several individuals for assaulting police personnel. Nine people have been charged with disturbing the peace, and efforts to apprehend the remaining accused are underway." In total, a case was registered against 16 named individuals and several unidentified persons in connection with the attack on the police.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Hate Speech against Hindus. Within this, 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. Another relevant primary category selected is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu gods/ goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. 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. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes. This incident constitutes hate speech against Hindus by the perpetrator, Sunny, as it involves deliberate and public expressions intended to insult and provoke the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The derogatory video made against Hindu deities was designed to undermine and abuse Hindu religious beliefs, making it a religiously motivated hate speech against Hindus and their faith. Such actions are deliberately intended to provoke and hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Hindu deities are central to the Hindu faith, and they are held in high reverence among Hindus. Any attempt to abuse or denigrate them stems from religious animosity towards Hinduism. In this instance, the derogatory video of Hindu deities uploaded on social media by the perpetrator was a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. The perpetrator's actions were not a random or misguided act, but a calculated and premeditated effort to undermine Hinduism and attack the beliefs of the broader Hindu society. Acts like this are clear instances of hate speech because they go beyond the realm of criticism or debates, seeking instead to denigrate a religious group and its revered deities. Instances of denigrating Hindu deities arise from entrenched religious animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In recent times, social media has increasingly become a platform for anti-Hindu hate, with derogatory comments, memes, images, videos, and messages targeting Hindu religious symbols, practices, and deities. Such content forms part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate speech online. In this case, the deliberate denigration of revered Hindu deities by the perpetrator firmly establishes this act as religiously motivated hate speech, and it is therefore categorised under the hate crime database.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
