Hindu deities insulted: derogatory AI-generated video mocking Lord Ram uploaded on Instagram
Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh, India 
17 June, 2025
Case Summary
In the Ghorawal police station area of Sonbhadra district, an objectionable AI-generated video of Lord Shri Ram was uploaded on Instagram. Social worker Prasoon Kumar submitted a formal complaint at the Ghorawal police station, demanding strict action against the accused youth. According to Kumar, he came across a video posted from the Instagram account hunter_student36, which is operated by Shaurya Shastri, son of Ramashraya, a resident of Khutha village under the Ghorawal police station. The post was intended to insult the Hindu religion and hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus. Kumar warned that such content could disturb communal harmony and disrupt public peace. The police confirmed that an FIR has been registered in the matter at Ghorawal police station under Case No. 126/25, invoking Sections 299 and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). At the time of writing this report, the investigation was ongoing.
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- Iconoclastic representation of Hindu gods and goddesses. An icon is a symbol of someone or something that is revered, or a religious representation of a spiritual ideal. 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. Any iconoclastic representation of these symbols, images and murtis is an affront to the religious beliefs and faith of the Hindu community itself since the symbols and icons are deeply religious in nature. In this sub-category of crime, we would record hate crimes and iconoclastic representations, in words, art, or any other form of representations of symbols that hold religious significance for the Hindu community. Since these symbols, icons and murtis are central to the Hindu faith, any iconoclastic representation of these symbols is born out of animosity towards the faith itself, manifesting itself through these symbols and therefore, these representations would be considered religiously motivated hated crimes. The other primary category selected is - Hate Speech against Hindus. Within this, the subcategory selected is- Anti-Hindu slurs, mocking faith. Anti-Hindu slurs and the deliberate mocking of the Hindu faith owing to religious animosity involve the usage of derogatory terms, stereotypes, or offensive references to religious practices, symbols, or figures. One of the common anti-Hindu slurs used against Hindus is “cow-worshipper” and “cow piss drinker”. The intention of using this term is to demean and mock Hindus as a group and their religious beliefs since Hindus consider the cow holy. Additionally, some symbols and the slurs attached to them have a historical context that exacerbates the insult, hate, stereotyping, dehumanisation and oppression against Hindus. Cow worship has been used for centuries to denigrate Hindus, insult their faith and oppress Hindus specifically as a religious group. There has been overwhelming documentation about how cow slaughter has been used to persecute Hindus with cow meat being thrown in temples and places of worship. There has also been overwhelming documentation where cow meat (beef) has been force-fed to Hindus to either forcefully convert them to Islam or denigrate their faith. Apart from cow worship, the Swastika – which holds deep religious significance for the Hindus – has also been misinterpreted and distorted to use as a slur against Hindus. Similarly, the worship of the Shivling has been used by supremacist ideologies and religions to denigrate Hindus owing to religious animosity. Such slurs and denigration stem out of inherent animosity and hate towards Hindus and their faith, therefore, it is categorised as hate speech targeted at Hindus specifically owing to their religious identity. In this case, an objectionable AI-generated video of Lord Shri Ram was uploaded on Instagram. Hindu Deities are an integral part of the Hindu religion, and Lord Ram is one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. Any attempt to mock the revered Hindu deity is born out of animosity towards Hinduism. In this case, the objectionable video edit was a direct attack on the sanctity of the Hindu faith. It was, in fact, not a random or misguided act, but a calculated and premeditated effort to attack Hinduism and the larger Hindu society. In recent times, social media has increasingly become a platform for anti-Hindu hate, with derogatory memes, videos, and messages targeting Hindu religious symbols, practices, and deities. Such content is recognised as part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia and religious hate crimes online. This deliberate targeting of revered religious icons firmly establishes this act as a religiously motivated hate crime; therefore, it is being categorised under the hate crime database. Disclaimer: Media reports do not mention the exact date of the incident. The earliest available reference is that the person who filed the police complaint came across a video posted from the Instagram account on 18th June 2025; therefore, we have used this date as the incident date. Hinduphobia Tracker records the date when the crime occurred, rather than when it was reported in the media.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Others
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
