Pathanamthitta temple attacked, sacred space vandalised in Kerala
Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India 
3 May, 2025
Case Summary
In Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, a violent attack was carried out on the Mekozhoor Rishikesh Temple by a group of individuals affiliated with the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). The police arrested eight people in connection with the incident, including DYFI Mylapra regional secretary Jojo K. Wilson and president V.S. Abin, along with five other activists believed to be part of the same organisation. The attack was an act of retaliation following an earlier disturbance during a Music festival, where certain individuals had been expelled for creating a nuisance under the influence of alcohol. Late at night, the group entered the temple premises armed with deadly weapons. They vandalised the premises by destroying a cutout of Lord Rama, damaging the sacrificial pit, and wrecking temple property, including umbrellas, boards, and other equipment. The police acted swiftly and arrested the perpetrators. The incident sparked widespread outrage in the local community, and the Temple Protection Committee organised a hartal in the Mylapra panchayat in protest against the desecration and violence.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category of: - Attack on Hindu religious representations. Within it, the 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. The other sub-category relevant here 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 other sub-category selected is - Breaking rules of place of worship. Sanatan Dharma is not a religion of one book, which is to say that while it has religious scriptures that form the central tenets of the faith, there are several traditions followed through thousands of years, mostly passed from generation to generation orally. One of these oral traditions or written traditions is the rules of specific temples. Certain temples have rules which are traditional rules, dependent on the worship of the presiding deities. These rules and traditions have been followed for thousands of years whether they find scriptural mention or not. Such traditions are based on the nature and rules of worship of the presiding deity of that temple. Any non-compliance of these traditions owing to animosity towards the faith or for the sake of activism stems not only from the lack of faith in the presiding deity but also disregard for the faith of the devotees of that deity/temple and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition and the deity itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific temple and presiding deity, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. The incident in Pathanamthitta district, Kerala, where DYFI-affiliated individuals carried out a violent attack on the Mekozhoor Rishikesh Temple, clearly qualifies as a hate crime due to its targeted nature and the sacred significance of the space attacked. In Hindu Dharma, a temple is not merely a place of gathering but the very abode of the Deity, sanctified through consecration rituals. The divine presence is believed to permeate not only the murti but the entire temple premises. As such, any deliberate act of aggression or vandalism in this sacred space is inherently an act of aggression towards the faith itself. The attack was not random but involved the desecration of specific Hindu religious symbols, including the destruction of a cutout of Lord Rama and damage to the homa kunda (sacrificial pit), a core element in Vedic worship. These icons and ritual spaces are manifestations of deeply held spiritual ideals. In Hinduism, religious symbols—whether murtis, images, sacred fires, or even temple property are not merely objects but spiritual embodiments central to daily worship. Their deliberate desecration is a direct expression of contempt toward Hindu beliefs and is, therefore, categorically a hate crime. Moreover, the attackers violated the traditional sanctity of the temple by forcefully entering the premises at night, armed with deadly weapons, and disturbing the spiritual order of the space. The violation of such norms is not merely a breach of decorum but a challenge to the dharma upheld by the temple and its devotees. In this case, the assault was retaliatory, not ignorant, suggesting an intention to offend the sanctity of the temple and the sentiment of its worshippers. This categorically places the act under the sub-category of breaking rules of place of worship driven by religious animosity. Together, these elements—the targeted nature of the violence, the destruction of sacred icons and property, and the breach of temple sanctity—point not to a mere outburst of personal vengeance, but to a deeper disdain towards Hindu religious practice. Hence, the case must be recognised as a religiously motivated hate crime.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
From 5 to 10
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
