Muslim man offers Namaz inside Tirumala Venkateswara Temple complex
Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India 
21 May, 2025
Case Summary
In Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, the situation became tense after a Muslim man was seen offering Namaz while wearing a Hazrat cap near the premises of Tirumala Kalyana Mandapam, which is a part of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple complex. According to the various eyewitnesses, the man had offered Namaz openly for over 10 minutes near the premises of Tirumala Kalyana Mandapam. This act by the Muslim man led to unrest in the area. Devotees questioned the intent behind performing Namaz at a Hindu religious site. This incident, which was captured on video and widely circulated on social media, has sparked considerable outrage among Hindu devotees and locals, calling it a deliberate attempt at hurting Hindu religious sentiments. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Tirumala temple properties, had started an investigation to identify the person offering namaz. As of the date of writing this report, authorities were making efforts to track down the accused.
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: - Breaking rules of places 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 other sub-category relevant here is: - Defiling religious customs. 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. Similarly, religious activities hold deep significance for Hindus, as they are intricately connected to their spiritual, cultural, and social lives. These practices encompass rituals, festivals, prayers, and pilgrimages that celebrate and honour various deities, fostering a sense of spiritual connection, community, and cultural continuity. Given the central significance of Temples and religious activities in Hindu Dharma, any aggressive Abrahamic chanting outside Temples or during religious activities negates the divinity of the religious space because the chanting itself negates the existence of any other God other than the God of the Abrahamic faith. Such chanting is specifically done to negate the faith of Hindus, establish religious supremacy, intimidate the devotees and mock the faith. Besides temples, such Abrahamic chanting outside any Hindu place of worship or religious structure or during any religious activity has the same effect. Since such acts are rooted in an inherent religious supremacist mentality driven by religious animosity, such crimes would be considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. This case has been added to the tracker because a Muslim man offered Namaz near the premises of Tirumala Kalyana Mandapam. Tirumala is one of the most sacred sites in Hinduism, and the area around the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple is considered spiritually and ritually exclusive to Hindu practices. Non-Hindu religious activities in this space can be interpreted as a breach of its sanctity. Offering Namaz at such a sacred place is a calculated attempt at provoking Hindu religious sentiments and a violation of the temple's sanctity. It wasn't an act of ignorance on the part of the Muslim man, but an intentional act of defilement of the temple traditions, done with full knowledge of the religious sensitivities and restrictions at that place. The intent behind this act seems malicious from the outset. Firstly, why should a Muslim man venture into such a sacred Hindu temple? Secondly, performing Namaz in a public and open manner also seems a deliberate move to provoke and challenge Hindu sentiments. This incident aligns with a pattern where Muslims tend to enter Hindu religious spaces to carry out actions that are meant to insult, undermine, or challenge Hindu customs. Such repeated and targeted violations indicate not ignorance, but an ideological motive rooted in religious animosity. Therefore, this case has been added to the tracker.
Case Status
Complaint registered
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
