Attack on Hindu beliefs: Muslim man posts social media status displaying Islamic supremacy with picture inside Hindu temple on Janmashtami
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
15 August, 2025
Case Summary
An anti-Hindu social media status was posted by a Muslim man named Sohail Khan. The accused is a police constable. He shared a picture of himself in a Hindu temple and posted it on his WhatsApp with background music stating, “There is no god but Allah, and none is worthy of worship except him.” According to media reports, the accused, Sohail Khan, stationed at Madhuban Bapudham Police Station, had visited a Hindu temple on Krishna Janmashtami, a revered Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna. There, he clicked a selfie and uploaded it as his WhatsApp status. The picture itself did not cause concern, but the background song he selected for it led to outrage. The track included the line, “no one except Allah is worthy of worship.” The status went viral online. It was widely shared and criticised by Hindu organisations. Numerous Hindu activists asserted that Khan’s status was an effort to defame religious sentiments. The President of Hindu Raksha Dal, Pinky Chaudhary, stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the constable was employing his police attire to spread Islam and provoke religious conversions. The outrage grew, and several users took to social media to mention the Ghaziabad Police, calling for stringent action. When reacting to the outrage, the police confirmed that the issue was under investigation. Furthermore, CP Alok Priyadarshi added that the inquiry had been entrusted to the ACP of Kavinagar. According to findings, the accused, Sohail Khan, was benched (shifted from active duty), and a departmental inquiry had also been ordered.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is being 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 primary category selected is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory selected is- Abrahamic religious chanting outside Hindu religious places and/or during Hindu activities. 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. Similarly, religious activities hold deep significance for Hindus, as they are intricately connected to their spiritual, cultural, and social lives. These practices encompass rituals, festivals, prayers, and pilgrimages that celebrate and honour various deities, fostering a sense of spiritual connection, community, and cultural continuity. Given the central significance of Temples and religious activities in Hindu Dharma, any aggressive Abrahamic chanting outside Temples or during religious activities negates the divinity of the religious space because the chanting itself negates the existence of any other God other than the God of the Abrahamic faith. Such chanting is specifically done to negate the faith of Hindus, establish religious supremacy, intimidate the devotees and mock the faith. Besides temples, such Abrahamic chanting outside any Hindu place of worship or religious structure or during any religious activity has the same effect. Since such acts are rooted in an inherent religious supremacist mentality driven by religious animosity, such crimes would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. This case is a clear instance of hate speech against Hindus, as the Muslim perpetrator used Abrahamic background music on a picture taken during his visit to a Hindu temple for Krishna Janmashtami. The background music stated, “There is no God except Allah, and nobody is worthy of being worshipped except Allah.” This reflected a deliberate attempt by the Muslim accused to denigrate Hindu traditions and beliefs, particularly the Hindu conception of God as existing in multiple forms. His actions indicated an explicit intent to insult and provoke Hindu religious sentiments, while also promoting the supremacy of Allah and the Islamic faith. The timing of the perpetrator’s actions reinforces this motive. By adding Abrahamic background music during Krishna Janmashtami, a significant Hindu festival, the accused intended to provoke Hindu sentiments. Krishna Janmashtami marks the birth of Lord Krishna, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, and is celebrated with profound devotion and joy across India. The festival carries deep spiritual importance, symbolising the triumph of good over evil and divine intervention in upholding righteousness. Hindus express their reverence through prayers, fasting, and vibrant rituals, honouring Krishna as both a divine incarnation and a guide to righteous living. The Muslim perpetrator’s use of music highlighting Islamic supremacy, at a time when devotees were celebrating Lord Krishna’s birth, underscores the purposeful nature of this provocation. Such behaviour exposes deeply rooted religious animosity towards Hinduism and Hindu festivals, marking it as a religiously motivated crime. It is also important to note that the Hindu conception of God welcomes the idea of one supreme divinity manifesting in many forms, allowing individuals the freedom to worship according to their own beliefs and traditions. In contrast, the Abrahamic perspective asserts there is only one God, who alone is worthy of worship, and condemns the beliefs of other faiths. It is evident, therefore, that the Muslim perpetrator’s actions stemmed from doctrinal hostility towards Hindus and their faith, making this an example of religiously motivated hate speech. Therefore, this case is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
