Muslim mob clashes with Hindu devotees over the construction of a temple boundary
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 
18 December, 2023
Case Summary
A mob of Muslims clashed with Hindu devotees over the construction of a temple boundary in Moradabad, UP. The situation escalated to the point where stones were hurled by these Muslims at the police attempting to control the matter. The incident occurred in the Moodhapande police station area in Moradabad. In Raunda, there stands a revered symbol of the Hindu faith, the Mata Chamunda Devi temple. Devotees have long sought to improve the dilapidated boundary wall surrounding the sacred site. On 25th November 2023, as devotees were engaged in the construction of the boundary wall, members from the Muslim community arrived and clashed with the Hindus. Subsequently, law enforcement intervened, bringing an immediate halt to the ongoing construction work.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
Hindu devotees are a few of the easiest targets of religiously motivated hate crimes because during the festival/procession/puja etc, for non-Hindus it is easy to profile their victims on the basis of religion. Hindu devotees come under attack on several occasions by individual non-Hindus or mobs of non-Hindus owing to their animosity against Hinduism, its symbols and tradition/practices. There are several instances of Hindu devotees being attacked while they worship in temples or temporary religious structures, during religious processions, doing bhajan/kirtan/puja in their own homes, in the residential society etc. These attacks are perpetrated by non-Hindus primarily because of their animosity towards Hindus and their faith. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, there are two elements that make these hate crimes. First, the Hindus who come under attack are attacked violently while indulging in religious activity. Whether they are in a place of worship or not is immaterial to the crime. When individuals are attacked while indulging in religious practices, the attack in itself is a hindrance to their freedom to practice religion and therefore constitutes a hate crime. Secondly, religious supremacist doctrines and ideologies deem religious practices of Hindus to be offensive ab initio since they are considered “sinful” by these ideologies, worthy to be annihilated by force or coercion. Driven by these religious supremacist ideologies and doctrines, the attacks against Hindu devotees stem from intrinsic animosity towards Hinduism. In some cases, the trigger for the violence may be non-religious, however, it develops into a religiously motivated crime during the course of the violence. Since these attacks stem from animosity towards Hindus and Hinduism, they are considered religiously motivated hate crimes under this category. In this case, the Muslims took offence to Hindus constructing a Temple wall. The attack was unprovoked and motivated by hostility or prejudice against Hindus and their religious practices. In fact, it was an act of aggression intended to prevent Hindus from exercising their religious rights. Such attacks are often driven by deep-seated prejudices, intolerance and a desire to intimidate or harm individuals based on their religious identity and qualify as a hate crime. The other sub-category this case is being added to is 'attack on Hindu Temples' under the primary category 'Attack on Hindu religious symbols'. 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. In this case, the Muslim mob took umbrage at a Temple boundary wall being constructed. The mob proceeded to attack devotees who were building the boundary wall for the Temple, however, it is important to note that the attack happened in the area surrounding the temple and the temple and the religiosity attached to it was central to the animosity that the Muslim mob harboured. For that reason, this case is also being added to this sub-category.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
From 10 to 100
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
