Six Hindu temples vandalised and temple idols desecrated in the same locality, police claims one of the accused is ‘mentally challenged'
Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India 
29 June, 2025
Case Summary
In Banda, Uttar Pradesh, six Hindu temples were targeted and vandalised by unknown miscreants. The assailants also desecrated the idols of Hindu deities inside the temples. News reports indicate that the first incident of temple desecration was against a temple of Lord Shiva located on Kamasin Road. The following day, Hindu devotees arrived at the temple in the morning and found that the idols had been damaged. In addition, three other temples along Kamasin Road were attacked and their idols were vandalised. Further incidents occurred at two other temples on Oran Road and Tindwari Road, where the temples were vandalised and the temple idols were desecrated by the miscreants. The targeting of temples in different locations on the same night caused anger and resentment among local Hindu residents. Upon witnessing the condition of the temples, a crowd of local Hindus gathered, and tension quickly spread throughout the area. Even the members of Hindu organisations showed outrage and described the incident as a coordinated effort to target Hindu places of worship. Aware of the seriousness of the situation, the administration took prompt action. A memorandum was submitted to the Sub-District Magistrate, urging strict action against those responsible. The police officials stated that nearby CCTV footage was reviewed, and several suspects were questioned. The administration appealed to the public to maintain peace and assured that all the miscreants would be arrested. Baberu Kotwali in-charge Rajendra Singh Rajawat said, "Information was received in the morning that the idols of Lord Shiva and Hanuman ji had been damaged in temples at six locations. The police team reached the scene and conducted an investigation. CCTV cameras installed nearby are being checked, and a special investigation team has been formed." Following these developments, police managed to arrest one of the miscreants involved; however, they claimed that the arrested individual was mentally challenged.
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. Another subcategory selected is- Attack on 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. This case has been added to the tracker as the perpetrators deliberately targeted Hindu temples, that too six of them in one locality. This itself is evidence enough that the attack was carried out deliberately to provoke members of the Hindu community. In Hinduism, a temple is an institution that holds immense spiritual importance. They are not mere physical structures; they are sanctified spaces believed to embody the divine presence of Hindu deities. Acts of violence against such spaces are not isolated incidents of destruction but reflect underlying hostility towards Hindu beliefs and identity. The attack also involved the deliberate desecration of Hindu religious symbols like the sacred idols of Hindu deities. In Hinduism, idols of deities are not just artistic representations but are deeply revered manifestations of the divine. Their desecration is seen as a direct affront to the religious sentiments of Hindus and an act of profound disrespect. Such acts of violence against Hindu temples and their idols are not just an attack on the temple property; it is an attack on the religious sentiments of the Hindu community that derives spiritual, cultural, and social meaning from that temple space. Furthermore, the perpetrators targeted not one but six Hindu temples; this showcases a pattern and premeditated effort to selectively attack and vandalise Hindu temples to hurt and provoke the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. Such acts are clear demonstrations of religious hostility towards Hinduism and its adherents. The psychological impact of such attacks is immense. Devotees who visit temples seek solace, peace, and a sense of connection with the divine. When these sacred Hindu temples are targeted and desecrated, it shatters the sense of security and belonging that the Hindu community derives from its religious institutions. The pain caused by the desecration of the temple idols is not limited to the physical damage; it is a wound to the collective psyche of the Hindu community. The outrage expressed by the local Hindus and the Hindu organisations is a testament to the deep hurt caused by this act. Their anger and fear are not simply about the destruction of bricks, but about the attack on their faith, their gods, and their way of life. Such attacks leave Hindu devotees feeling isolated, vulnerable, and marginalised. These incidents are not isolated acts of violence; they are rather premeditated attacks launched at the Hindu community and their sacred shrines. Another important aspect to highlight here is that despite the clear religious significance of the attack, the police swiftly dismissed any communal angle and labelled one of the perpetrators, who was arrested, as "mentally challenged." This downplaying of the crime follows a consistent pattern in cases where Hindu religious structures are attacked, where authorities dismiss such acts as "mischief" or blame them on individuals with mental health issues. By doing so, they dilute the gravity of the crime and divert attention from the real motivations behind such targeted attacks. This is a usual trope to shield the perpetrators by attributing the crime to the mental health of the accused, claiming that the crime was committed because the perpetrator was ‘mentally ill’ or ‘mentally unstable’. The police, in many such cases where the crime has been committed against the Hindu faith, deny that the crime was in any way driven by religious animosity towards Hindus and attribute it to the perpetrator’s mental health. Many a time, the police downplay incidents of low-level communal crimes because their jurisdiction can be questioned. The police also often say that the crime was committed because the accused was mentally unstable, because they wish to ensure that, owing to the crime already committed, there is no further flare-up in the area. Similarly, in this case, the police attributed the act of vandalism of six Hindu temples to the miscreant's mental illness. The use of the "mental illness" trope to justify crimes targeting Hindu temples or idols raises critical questions. If one of the perpetrators who was arrested was indeed mentally challenged, why did he specifically target Hindu idols and places of worship, leaving any other religious places untouched? Furthermore, he targeted not one, but six Hindu temples. This selective focus suggests that such acts are not driven by mental health issues but by religious animosity. The repeated use of this narrative to downplay crimes against Hindus reflects a strategic effort to whitewash religious hatred, obscuring the true motivations and intentions behind the attack. Since this attack was directed at both the Hindu temple and the temple idols, it is classified as a religiously motivated hate crime against the Hindu community. Further, although the religious identity of the total number of miscreants and the one who was arrested is unknown, regardless, the action stemmed from hatred against the Hindu community and Hinduism. Therefore, this case is being categorised under the hate crime database. Disclaimer: Media reports do not state the total number of miscreants; they only state that one miscreant has been arrested. Therefore, the perpetrator range is '1', representing the miscreant who was arrested by the police.
Case Status
Case sub-judice
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Unknown
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
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