Nine Hanuman idols stolen in coordinated attacks on Hindu homes and temples in Fiji
Nadi, Western Division, Fiji Islands 
21 August, 2025
Case Summary
In a series of coordinated thefts targeting Hindu religious icons, a total of nine idols of Lord Hanuman were stolen by unknown individuals from multiple locations across Nadi and Korociri in Fiji. According to reports, five of these statues were stolen from three different properties in Korociri, while in Nakurakura, three statues were taken from the residence of a 33-year-old Hindu man. In a separate incident, a religious statue belonging to a 35-year-old man on Sagayam Road in Nadi was stolen from a prayer room. The thieves targeted both private homes and temples, causing significant distress within the Hindu community. As of the date of writing this report, the police have launched an intensive investigation to find out who is involved. The increase in attacks on Hindu religious sites in Fiji had prompted the World Hindu Federation (Pacific) to appeal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue with Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, expressing deep concern over the repeated thefts and vandalism of sacred idols, and questioning the measures being taken to ensure the safety of the Hindu minority. Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica addressed a Hindu unity gathering, strongly condemning the desecration of Hindu religious places across the country, warning that such acts would not be tolerated, and assuring the Hindu community that the government would pursue a zero-tolerance policy against attacks on places of worship while promoting national unity, social trust, and reconciliation. This was not an isolated incident; a similar event occurred in July when century-old idols at the Shiv Mandir in Samabula, Suva, were desecrated, and pages were torn from the sacred Ramayan at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir in Labasa in April. The Hinduphobia Tracker has reported the incident. Such incidents have persisted for decades, with Hindu leaders repeatedly calling for stronger security and decisive legal action to protect sacred spaces and symbols.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Temples in Hindu society, even in private spaces, are not merely physical structures but serve as foundational religious and cultural institutions. Any intrusion, desecration, or looting of temple property directly impacts the collective religious identity of the community. In this case, nine idols of Lord Hanuman were stolen from multiple locations across Nadi and Korociri in Fiji, including from private homes and temples, on 22 August 2025. The coordinated nature of the thefts and the targeting of sacred religious symbols suggest deliberate targeting of Hindu religious spaces. Previous incidents in Fiji, such as the vandalisation of century-old idols at the Shiv Mandir in Samabula and the desecration of religious texts at the Vunicuicui Shiv Mandir, indicate a pattern in which Hindu religious sites have been repeatedly targeted. These crimes are not always driven by economic motives alone but are also tied to broader patterns of ideological contempt and religious hostility towards Hindu religious symbols. However, since the perpetrators remain unidentified and there is currently no concrete evidence linking the thefts to religious animosity or anti-Hindu sentiment, this case has been added to the Undecided database. Should further investigation reveal motives rooted in religious hostility, the case will be reclassified as a hate crime accordingly.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
