Religious flag desecrated during Hindu sacred yajna by minor miscreant
Aurangabad, Bihar, India 
11 April, 2025
Case Summary
During a religious yajna held in Narsan village under Haspura police station limits, an unknown individual brought down a ceremonial flag, leading to heightened tension between two groups in the area. The act was a deliberate provocation at a sacred event, causing unrest among the participants and local residents. Upon receiving the information, Superintendent of Police Ambarish Rahul, SDO Manoj Kumar, and SDPO Kumar Rishiraj arrived at the site. An FIR was registered against unknown persons, and the police began an investigation. During the course of the inquiry, one minor was apprehended and taken into custody. During questioning, the minor admitted to his involvement in the incident.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the prime category- Attack on Hindu religious representations. The sub-category relevant in this case 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. This incident constitutes a hate crime as it involved the desecration of a Hindu religious symbol central to a sacred ritual. In Hinduism, symbols such as flags, murtis, and other religious representations are not mere objects but carry deep spiritual meaning and are treated with utmost reverence. The act of bringing down the yajna flag during an ongoing religious ceremony directly targeted the sanctity of the event and the beliefs of the devotees. Such an action was not just an act of mischief but a deliberate affront to the religious sentiment of the Hindu community, aimed at disrupting their spiritual practice and provoking disharmony. Moreover, the act violated the unwritten yet longstanding traditions that govern Hindu religious practices. These traditions, including the sanctity of religious spaces and symbols, have been preserved for generations and form the core of Hindu devotional life. By interfering with a sacred element of the yajna, the perpetrator showed a clear disregard for the faith and practices of the devotees. This breach of religious norms, driven by malice or bias, amounts to a religiously motivated attack and reflects animosity towards the Hindu faith and its symbols, thereby fulfilling the criteria for a hate crime. The other disturbing aspect in this case is that the accused was a minor child. This sheds light on how, tragically, this animosity against the Hindus and their faith seems to be ingrained in them since childhood. Though it was a child who desecrated the religious flag, disrupting the sacred event, it highlights the ingrained animosity against Hinduism, which catalyses these kinds of horrific acts. This instance has been added to the tracker under the following category since disrespect for the Hindu religion is the primary purpose behind this incident.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
