Hindus physically assaulted, abused and threatened with death by Muslims over use of loudspeakers in Hindu temple during aarti
Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, India 
20 May, 2025
Case Summary
In Balrampur village, Uttar Pradesh, Hindus were beaten, abused, and threatened by Muslims for using loudspeakers in temples for aarti. According to media sources, Muslims were constructing a mosque in the village and were also playing Islamic prayers on loudspeakers in violation of the prescribed regulations. In contrast, when Hindus used loudspeakers in their temple, Muslims stormed the temple, disrupting the aarti and demanding that the Hindus to stop playing their religious prayers on the loudspeaker. Thereafter, the Muslims physically assaulted Hindus. Local Hindus stated that they were also subjected to abuse and death threats, and highlighted that such incidents occurred almost daily, with Muslims ostracising Hindus in this manner. Jagdeesh Prasad, son of Parasnath Mishra and a resident of Balrampur village, submitted a petition to the District Magistrate, describing the construction of a mosque in the centre of the village and the subsequent incidents. The administration decided to halt the construction of the mosque. He also requested protection for the temple and the well near the temple, which is revered by the local Hindus. Muslims in the village also objected to the use of loudspeakers in the temple and lodged complaints with the authorities. For several days, tensions persisted between Hindus and Muslims over the use of loudspeakers. Police arrived at the scene to manage the situation and prevent any clashes between the communities. Statements from both sides were recorded, and inspections of the temple and mosque were conducted. Akhand Dev Mishra stated that both parties were being counselled and that the situation is now normal.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack Not Resulting in Death. The subcategory selected is - Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The other subcategory selected is - Attack for crossing a 'Muslim Area'. One of the reasons that Hindus get attacked unprovoked specifically by Islamists is for crossing ‘Muslim areas’. Essentially, Muslim mobs often attack Hindus crossing or present in certain areas which have a majority Muslim population. It has often been cited as one of the reasons to blame Hindus for attacks against themselves, signalling that Hindus displaying religious symbols, taking our religious processions or crossing any area which is dominated by Muslim residents is a provocation in and of itself. These areas are mostly ghettoized areas where mobs mobilize quickly to attack Hindus for a variety of reasons like playing music during a religious procession, crossing a mosque, wearing a tilak or any other religious symbol in a Muslim-dominated area, praying at a local temple in that area etc. There have been cases where the few local Hindus of that area have been attacked on their way to the Temple for prayers as well, simply because the area is considered a Muslim-dominated area. Several times, it is entirely possible that the immediate trigger for the violence against Hindus was non-religious in nature, however, the violence became religiously motivated in nature because the area was Muslim dominated and the residents on the whole harboured animosity towards Hindus, evidenced from the actions of the mob, the slogans, and the nature of the attack. Such crimes are motivated by the religious identity of the victims and are therefore classified as hate crimes under this category. The other subcategory selected is - Communal Clash/ attack. Communal clash is a form of collective violence that involves clashes between groups belonging to different religious identities. For a communal clash between Hindus and non-Hindus to qualify as a religiously motivated hate crime, the trigger of the violence itself would have to be anti-Hindu in essence. For example, if there is a Hindu religious procession that comes under attack from a non-Hindu mob and after the initial attack, Hindus retaliate in self-defence, leading to a communal clash between the two religious communities. While at a later stage, both communities are involved in the clash/violence, the initial trigger of the violence was by the non-Hindu mob against the Hindus and therefore, it could safely be termed as an anti-Hindu violence. Further, the trigger would also have to be religiously motivated. In the cited example, the attack by the non-Hindu mob was against religious processions and therefore, can be concluded to be religiously motivated. In some cases, the trigger may be non-religious, however, it develops into religious violence against Hindus at a later stage. In such cases too, the foundational animosity towards Hindus becomes the motivating factor of the crime and therefore, it would be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus under this category. In this case, another primary category is selected, that is - Attack on Hindu religious representations. The subcategory 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. Another subcategory selected within this primary category is - Defiling religious customs. 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. There are several such customs and traditions that are followed by various Hindus and Hindu sects. Defiling of these traditions and customs is a breach of an individual or group’s religious practices. Such practices can range from dietary restrictions like not eating non-vegetarian food for a certain period of the year, not eating non-vegetarian food at all, not eating beef since the cow is considered holy in Hinduism, the sanctity of religious customs followed in the house (like many ISCKON devotees), etc. Any malicious action leading to the breach of such traditions or defilement 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 religion itself but also from disregard for the faith of the devotees who follow the customs/traditions and implicit bias against the faith, the tradition itself. Since these specific traditions are central to the faith of the devotees of that specific sect of Hindus, any non-compliance with these traditional rules would be considered a religiously motivated hate crime. This case has been added to the tracker as it is not a random act of violence, but a deliberate attack driven by religious animosity. A mob of Muslims stormed the temple, physically assaulting and verbally abusing Hindus, and issuing them death threats. Muslims also asked the Hindus to stop playing their religious prayers on the loudspeaker and disrupted the aarti. The attack was provoked solely by the use of loudspeakers during the temple’s aarti. The fact that the assailants forcefully entered a place of worship and attempted to dictate how Hindus should observe their religious practices highlights a blatant attempt to suppress Hindu religious expression. The mob’s threats to kill Hindus if Hindu prayers were played reveal a deep-seated intolerance towards the visible expression of Hindu identity. Such violent curbs on religious freedoms not only violate fundamental rights but also act as a coercive mechanism to silence Hindu voices within the community. These attacks are not isolated incidents, but are rather driven by entrenched religious hatred and intolerance towards Hindus by Muslims. Additionally, it is important to highlight that there was a mosque located near the temple. Muslims took offence at Hindu prayers being played on the temple’s loudspeakers, while they played Islamic prayers on the mosque’s loudspeakers. This instance reveals a disturbing sense of Islamic supremacy harboured by the attackers. In this case, the perpetrators appeared to view the area around the mosque as an exclusive zone where non-Muslims, particularly Hindus, were unwelcome and not allowed to practise their faith openly. This sense of entitlement and superiority not only reflects deep-seated prejudice but also highlights an attempt to assert religious dominance over public spaces. The assault on Hindus was motivated by this supremacist ideology, whereby Muslims in the area looked down upon Hindus, believing they had the right to dictate how others could practise their faith, and to what extent. The act of assaulting Hindus for playing Hindu religious prayers highlights a dangerous mindset rooted in exclusion, intolerance, and religious animosity towards Hindus, making this case an instance of a hate crime. Another important point to highlight is that the Muslim mob stormed towards the Hindu temple, demanded that the Hindus stop playing their religious prayers on the loudspeaker, and disrupted and defiled the Hindu ritual of performing aarti, thereby attacking a significant aspect of Hindu worship. Hindu temples, as institutions, hold immense spiritual importance in Hindu tradition. They are not merely physical structures; they are sanctified spaces believed to embody the divine presence. Acts of violence against temples and the desecration of their customs are not isolated incidents of destruction, but rather reflect an underlying hostility towards Hindu beliefs and identity. This clearly demonstrates that the perpetrators had no tolerance or respect for the Hindu temple or its sacred customs, which hold great significance for Hindus. This incident strongly indicates that it is a case of religiously motivated crime against Hindus and their sacred temples. It is also important to note that the Hindus raised objections by filing a complaint with the District Magistrate regarding the mosque’s construction and the playing of Islamic prayers on loudspeakers in violation of regulations. However, in this case, the Muslims resorted to violence, attacking and physically assaulting Hindus and issuing death threats. This created an atmosphere of communal tension, specifically targeting the Hindu community. This highlights the deep-seated animosity and intolerance of the Muslim attackers towards Hindus and their faith. Since this case meets multiple parameters of a religiously motivated crime, it is being added to the hate crime database.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
