Hindu deities desecrated and Varahi Amman temple demolished in Tiruchanur

Case ID : ef65486 | Location : Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India | Date of Incident : Sun, 8 June, 2025

Case ID : ef65486

Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India

8 June, 2025

Hindu deities desecrated and Varahi Amman temple demolished in Tiruchanur

Attack on Hindu religious representations

Desecration of Hindu religious symbol

Attack on Temples

Attack not resulting in death

Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save victim

Case Summary

In Tiruchanur, in the Tirupati district, a Hindu temple known as the Varahi Amman Temple was vandalised by two individuals, Mani Reddy and Rami Reddy, along with thirty unidentified accomplices. According to reports, Mani Reddy and Rami Reddy submitted a petition in a local court, claiming that the temple land belonged to them. Even though the case was sub judice, the two, together with around thirty unidentified individuals, attacked the temple premises. They manhandled Hindu women devotees who tried to stop them from vandalising the sacred temple. Following this, a complaint was lodged with the Tiruchanur police against the duo and their accomplices, but no investigation was initiated, despite the entire incident being captured on CCTV. Police inaction occurred due to the political backing of Mani Reddy and Rami Reddy by the ruling TDP. Emboldened by the police’s inaction, on the following day, Mani and Rami returned with their accomplices and demolished the temple structure. They desecrated the idols of the goddess and the Shivalinga and dumped them into the Swarnamukhi River. Upon receiving information, members of the Bajrang Dal and other Hindu groups arrived at the site and recovered the vandalised idols from the river. They demanded stringent action against the perpetrators and warned of large-scale protests if the miscreants were not apprehended and made to rebuild the temple. Reports suggest that the TDP party leaders paid ₹10 lakh to the miscreants to forcibly take control of the temple land. The vandalism was led by TDP leader Kishore Reddy, a known supporter of Chandragiri MLA Pulivarthi Nani. Locals reported that the temple was destroyed to facilitate illegal sand excavation by a sand mafia operating along the Swarnamukhi River. The incident sparked widespread outrage among local Hindus, with many questioning the TDP government’s failure to protect temples in the state. Criticism was also directed at Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who had repeatedly called himself an “unapologetic Sanatani Hindu”. Hindu groups demanded strict action against those responsible for the demolition. Even Union Minister Bandi Sanjay visited Tiruchanur and met with the local Hindu residents to address the issue. Hindu organisation members attempted to lodge complaints with the minister, but the police obstructed their efforts. As a result, the groups staged a protest near the local police station and called for strict action against the culprits.

Why it is Hate Crime ?

This case has been added to the tracker under the primary category- Attack on Hindu Religious representations. Within this, 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. The other subcategory selected is- Desecration of Hindu religious symbols. 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. Another relevant primary category selected is- Attack not resulting in Death. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Attacked for opposing radicals or trying to save the victims. In several cases, Hindus are attacked for opposing religiously motivated crimes being committed against a fellow Hindu or simply for voicing an opinion opposing radical elements, who either have in the past or continue to persecute Hindus. In such cases, the initial attack against the victim, against which the Hindu was trying to defend the victim, would also need to be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime. Since the initial crime itself was religiously motivated and the subsequent crime of attempting to save the victim or speaking against the radical elements ends up inviting a violent attack, it would also be classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The incident involving the vandalism and demolition of the Varahi Amman Temple in Tiruchanur is a clear case of a hate crime targeting a Hindu place of worship. Hate crimes are criminal acts motivated by prejudice against a particular group, often based on religion, ethnicity, or race. In this instance, the deliberate destruction of a Hindu temple, the desecration of sacred idols, and the physical assault on female devotees constitute a targeted attack on the religious identity and dignity of the Hindu community. The demolition of the temple by Mani Reddy and Rami Reddy in Tirachanur represents a deliberate act of religious hostility. If the accused genuinely believed that the temple land belonged to them, they could have pursued their claim through the courts and waited for the judgment. Instead, they chose to forcibly capture the land by vandalising the temple and desecrating the idols, making the element of religious hatred unmistakable. For Hindus, temples are not merely physical structures; they are sacred spaces where the divine is believed to reside. The destruction of a temple and its idols is deeply offensive and sacrilegious, reflecting underlying hostility towards Hindu beliefs and identity. The attack also involved the desecration of Hindu religious symbols, with the perpetrators desecrating and discarding the sacred idols into the river. In Hinduism, idols of Hindu deities are not simply artistic representations but are revered as manifestations of the divine. Their desecration is a direct affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus and an act of profound disrespect towards Hinduism. Such vandalism is not just an attack on property; it is an act of violence against a community that derives spiritual, cultural, and social meaning from that space. The actions of Mani Reddy and Rami Reddy, along with their group, were designed to instil fear, insecurity, and humiliation among Hindus. Additionally, the manhandling of Hindu women devotees who tried to protect the temple further escalates the gravity of the crime. The attackers used violence and force to silence those defending their sacred space. Such acts send a message of impunity and domination, reinforcing the intent to subjugate and silence the Hindu community. In many such instances, Hindus are subjected to violence while protecting their sacred shrines from attackers. This is a result of prejudice and bias against Hindus and their sacred temples. Such actions send a message of impunity and domination, reinforcing the attackers’ intent to subjugate and silence the Hindu community. In conclusion, the demolition of the Varahi Amman Temple, the desecration of idols, the assault on female devotees, and the involvement of political actors collectively constitute a hate crime. These acts were not random or solely motivated by property disputes, but were intended to intimidate, humiliate, and marginalise the Hindu community. Such violence against Hindu temples is rooted in disdain for the Hindu community and their religion, fitting the parameters of a religiously motivated crime.