Temples vandalised and idols desecrated in Murshidabad anti-Hindu violence
Murshidabad, West Bengal, India 
10 April, 2025
Case Summary
On 11th April, 2025, widespread violence against Hindus erupted in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal following the conclusion of Jumma Namaz under the pretext of protests against the Waqf Amendment Act. Large Muslim mobs turned violent in several areas, leading to disruption of public order. The unrest was coordinated, with mobs assembling in parts of the district shortly after prayers, leading to the rapid deterioration of law and order. Notably, amidst the general disorder, there was a clear and calculated effort to single out and target Hindus under the guise of protest. There were also local reports of attacks on multiple Hindu temples across Murshidabad during the course of the unrest. Incidents of idol desecration were noted. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 and deployed additional police forces to control the situation. As a result of this orchestrated anti-Hindu aggression, hundreds of Hindu residents have been forced to flee their homes in Murshidabad. The violence, carried out in the name of opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025, has already claimed three lives, further highlighting the communal nature of the assault.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The first sub-category 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. The second sub-category selected is- Attack on Temples. 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. Given the central significance of Temples in Hindu Dharma, any attack against a Hindu Temple or its peripheral premises is an attack on the faith itself and is born out of animosity towards the faith, of which, the Temple is a central tenet. Any manner of attack against a Temple and/or its premises would therefore be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This case qualifies as a hate crime due to the deliberate desecration of Hindu religious symbols and icons. Their desecration reflects a targeted act of hostility against the core of Hindu spiritual life. The act is not random vandalism but one that directly attacks the spiritual beliefs and identity of the Hindu community, thereby constituting a religiously motivated offence. Additionally, temples were targeted. An attack on a temple is not just physical damage to a structure but a violation of a deeply held spiritual space, amounting to an assault on the faith. Such acts of aggression are thus recognised as hate crimes, motivated by contempt for the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. These incidents occurred as a part of the widespread violence in the Suti and Samserganj areas, where mobs disrupted train services, vandalised the Block Development Officer’s office, and brought normal life to a halt. Local reports confirmed the desecration of Hindu temples and attacks on Hindu homes, forcing hundreds to flee Murshidabad in fear. The communal nature of the violence is further reinforced by eyewitness accounts confirming that local Muslims—not outsiders—were responsible. The targeting of the temples and idols of Hindu deities is thus not just an instance of riot-related damage but a symbolic act of religious hatred, intended to terrorise the Hindu community and compel their displacement.
Case Status
Unknown
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
