Objectionable content targeting Hindu deities shared on Instagram by Muslim man in Bihar
Begusarai, Bihar, India 
23 March, 2025
Case Summary
In Begusarai district, Bihar, a Muslim individual edited and shared objectionable photos and videos of Hindu deities, the Prime Minister, and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister on social media. The content was intended to provoke communal sentiments and create unrest between communities. The accused, Mohammad Irshad, son of Mohammad Jaleel, resident of Ekamba village under Chaudahi Police Station, surrendered in court after being identified as the person behind the viral posts. According to Cyber DSP, the accused had posted edited and offensive content involving revered religious figures and political leaders. The content had the potential to increase communal tensions in the region. The matter came to light during routine social media monitoring by the Begusarai Cyber Police Station, which immediately took suo-moto cognizance of the incident. A case was registered under Cyber Police Station Case No. 46/24, invoking Sections 196(1), 299, 302 of the IPC and Section 66 of the IT Act. During the investigation, technical analysis of the Instagram ID used for posting the content led the police to Mohammad Irshad. The accused surrendered in court. Police teams were already conducting continuous raids to arrest the accused before his surrender. The case is under further investigation, and the police have assured strict legal action against the accused.
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 sub-category 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. The incident in Begusarai district, Bihar, where a Muslim man named Mohammad Irshad edited and circulated objectionable photos and videos of Hindu deities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is a deliberate act of religiously motivated hate crime against Hindus. Hindu deities are deeply revered and form the spiritual core of Hinduism. Any form of mockery or indecent portrayal of these deities is not simply offensive—it represents deep-seated animosity toward Hindu beliefs and is intended to undermine and humiliate the Hindu faith. In this case, the use of manipulated and obscene content clearly demonstrates that the act was not accidental but part of a targeted attack on Hinduism. 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: It is important to clarify that the report does not specify the exact date when the anti-Hindu posts were posted on social media. Therefore, for documentation purposes, we have recorded the date based on when the incident was reported in the media.
Case Status
Arrested
Perpetrators Details
Perpetrators
Muslim Extremists
Perpetrators Range
One Person
Perpetrators Gender
male
Sources 
