Street vendor Zaheer Khan among two arrested for tearing Shri Ram banners in Karnataka's Kolar

Case ID : e97a6d2 | Location : Kolar, Karnataka, India | Date of Incident : Tue, 16 January, 2024
Case ID : e97a6d2
location Kolar, Karnataka, India
date 16 January, 2024
Street vendor Zaheer Khan among two arrested for tearing Shri Ram banners in Karnataka's Kolar
Attack on Hindu religious representations
Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Case Summary

On January 17, 2024, the Karnataka police arrested two individuals, including Zaheer Khan, a 22-year-old street vendor, for tearing Shri Ram posters in Jahangir Mohalla and Gungunte Palya villages in Kolar district. Hindus protested in front of the Mulbagal Town police station, demanding action. CCTV footage helped identify Khan cutting the banners late Tuesday night. The banners were for the Makara Sankranti festival and the upcoming Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Kolar MP S Muniswamy and Mulbagal JD(S) MLA Samruddhi V Manjunath visited the village, while police deployed personnel to control the situation. BJP's BY Vijayendra condemned the incident, attributing it to a "barbaric mindset" influenced by radical ideology and criticised the Congress government's alleged hatred towards Lord Ram. He urged swift police action to maintain law and order.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This particular case has been classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under the core category 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols' because there is a distinct component in this case, which essentially involves the tearing of the poster of Lord Ram, one of the most revered Hindu gods. 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.

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Case Status

Arrested

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Perpetrators Details

Perpetrators

Muslim Extremists

Perpetrators Range

From 2 To 5

Perpetrators Gender

male

Sources Sources

https://web.archive.org/web/20...https://web.archive.org/web/20...
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