Hindu families put up ‘house for sale’ posters over illegal mosque expansion, harassment for Muslims
North East Delhi, Delhi, India 
3 March, 2025
Case Summary
In Seelampur, northeast Delhi, a dispute erupted over the illegal expansion of a mosque near the Shiv Mandir in Brahmpuri. The situation escalated after reports of stone-pelting on the night of 2nd and 3rd March, leading to fears of communal clashes. Concerned for their safety, over a dozen Hindu families, particularly those near the temple, have put up "house for sale" posters, fearing a repeat of past riots. The HIndu residents have alleged that the expansion of the mosque is being deliberately carried out to pressure members of the Hindu community to leave the area. They also accused young Muslim men of hurling abuses, creating disturbances at night, and pelting stones at the homes of Hindu families. Hindu locals, including 60-year-old Radha Verma, expressed distress, recalling previous riots and stating that leaving the area was the safest option. Others, like Pandit Shankar, echoed similar concerns, unwilling to take risks. Residents also raised objections to the mosque expansion, citing congestion in the already narrow lanes. However, Muslim residents defended the construction, claiming it was necessary due to space constraints. Reports suggest that the expansion involved merging two plots to extend the mosque, raising fears that large gatherings during festivals would disrupt the area's communal harmony. Hindu residents alleged that the expansion aimed to pressure them into leaving the locality. They further accused young Muslim men of harassment, including verbal abuse, nighttime disturbances, and stone-pelting at Hindu homes. Although initial complaints halted construction in 2023, Muslims later secured MCD approval in November 2024, and work resumed in February 2025. However, Hindu residents opposed the new entry gate, leading to another halt on 18th February. An MCD notice later revealed that the mosque's expansion was approved by concealing facts and under a residential category. The land was reportedly donated to a Muslim welfare society, raising further concerns about the intent behind the expansion.
Why it is Hate Crime ?
This case is a clear instance of a religiously motivated hate crime, as evidenced by multiple religious markers that warrant its inclusion under two prime categories in the tracker. The first is- Attack not resulting in death. Under this, the first sub-category selected is- Attacked for Hindu identity. In several cases, Hindus are attacked merely for their Hindu identity without any perceived provocation. A classic example of this category of religiously motivated hate crime is a murder in 2016. 7 ISIS terrorists were convicted for shooting a school principal in Kanpur because they got ‘triggered’ seeing the Kalava on his wrist and tilak that he had put. In this, the Hindu victim had offered no provocation except for his Hindu religious identity. The motivation for the murder was purely religious, driven by religious supremacy. Such cases where Hindus are targeted merely for their religious identity would be documented as a hate crime under this category. The second sub-category under which this case has been placed is- Attacked to induce migration from non-Hindu dominated area. There have been cases where the Hindus living in an area, often with a majority dwelling belonging to non-Hindus or those harbouring animosity towards the Hindu faith, the Hindu residents experience threats and violence. The violence is employed with the aim of making the Hindus leave the area and relocate, so the area could be turned into an exclusive ghetto for adherents of the non-Hindu faith or those who harbor animosity towards the Hindu faith. In several cases, the aim of exodus is explicit. However, in several cases, the demand for exodus of Hindu residents is not explicit, however, violence by non-Hindu residents leaves the Hindu residents no option but to leave the area, thereby, turning the area into an exclusive ghetto of non-Hindu residents. In such cases, there are instances violence against the Hindu residents explicitly. For example, in the Hauz Qazi case of 2019, the Muslim residents claimed that mob violence against the Hindu residents had been triggered by a parking dispute. However, the violence did turn religious with a temple being desecrated and was directed specifically against the Hindu residents. The Hindu residents of the area were clear that the violence was religiously motivated and one of the motives was to affect an exodus of the Hindu residents. In such cases, even though the perpetrators have not explicitly expressed the aim of affecting exodus, the given circumstances and violence and precedent point to the intention of exodus and therefore would be categorized under this sub-category. Such crimes are religiously motivated and therefore are hate crimes. The second prime category relevant here is- Attack on Hindu religious representations. Under this, the sub-category selected is- Encroachment or illicit takeover of temple land/land near temple. 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. Not only the Temple but the Temple premises in its entirety are considered sacred by Hindus. In several cases, the premises of the Temple and/or religious centre are illicitly taken over by institutions belonging to other faiths – like the Waqf board or the Church. Other times, the temple property, land or the property of religious centres are illicitly encroached by non-Hindu groups. Any illicit take over or encroachment is a crime an initio, however, when non-Hindu groups illicitly take over or encroach the sacred land of Hindus, it is an affront to the Hindu community and is therefore classified as a religiously motivated hate crime under this category. The developments in Seelampur represent a clear case of a religiously motivated hate crime, as multiple aspects of the incident indicate targeted hostility towards the Hindu community. The fear-driven exodus of Hindu families, the encroachment near the Shiv Mandir, and the reported harassment of Hindus all point to a deliberate attempt to alter the area's demographic composition through intimidation and coercion. Hindu residents have voiced serious concerns that the expansion of the mosque, coupled with acts of aggression like stone-pelting, verbal abuse, and nighttime disturbances, is aimed at pressuring them to vacate their homes. Such tactics are not isolated incidents but rather form a pattern where non-Muslim communities, particularly Hindus, are systematically pushed out from areas where they are in the minority, effectively making this an attack on their Hindu identity. Moreover, the targeted expansion near the Shiv Mandir raises further red flags. The encroachment of land close to Hindu religious sites has been a recurring strategy in similar instances, with attempts to diminish the prominence of Hindu spaces while establishing dominance in the area. In this case, the Shiv Mandir’s proximity to the disputed construction amplifies concerns that the expansion is not merely a matter of space constraints but a calculated move to assert control over the locality and weaken the Hindu religious presence. Residents’ claims that the land acquisition process was misleadingly categorized as residential further reinforce suspicions of foul play, particularly since such expansions have historically been used as a means to drive out Hindu families. Additionally, the psychological and physical pressure exerted on the Hindu residents by Muslim youths engaging in threats, harassment, and stone-pelting cannot be dismissed as mere local disputes. These acts serve as intimidation tactics designed to create an atmosphere of fear, ultimately compelling Hindus to leave the area. The presence of "house for sale" signs from Hindu families further proves that this is not an ordinary property dispute but an orchestrated attempt to force Hindus into migration. Overall, the incident fits the pattern of targeted aggression against Hindus, aimed at erasing their presence in the locality through both physical attacks and structural encroachment. The deliberate targeting of Hindu families, the strategic encroachment near a Hindu temple, and the intimidation tactics used to push Hindus out all serve as undeniable markers of religiously motivated hate.
Case Status
Complaint filed
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
Unknown
Perpetrators Gender
unknown
Sources 
