Between 2021 and 2026, police across several Indian states and one case abroad, registered multiple cases involving alleged acts of desecration, vandalism, or indecent conduct at Hindu temples and shrines by miscreants from the Islamic community. The incidents include acts of urination, spitting, physical disrespect of idols, and other acts said to have hurt religious sentiments.
In most cases, arrests were made and criminal proceedings initiated under relevant sections of law. In this report, we examine 26 reported incidents.
#1 Urination Inside Katta Maisamma Temple – 10 January 2026 – Malkajgiri, Telangana
Police arrested a 26-year-old man identified as Altaf for allegedly entering the Katta Maisamma temple premises in Safilguda and urinating in front of an idol. The accused, a resident of Bidar, Karnataka, was booked by Neredmet police and produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. The incident came to light after temple staff alerted authorities. Police stated that the case was registered under provisions dealing with insult to religious beliefs and public nuisance.
#2 Alleged Spitting and Urination Near Gorakhnath Temple – 10 December 2025 – Fatehabad, Haryana
In Tohana’s Sunder Nagar area, members of Hindu organisations complained that individuals linked to a madrasa and a mosque deliberately spat and urinated near the Gorakhnath temple. Following written complaints, Fatehabad police registered an FIR against named individuals under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for hurting religious sentiments and public misconduct. Police said an investigation was initiated after preliminary verification of claims made by local residents.
#3 Urination on Shivling Near Durga Temple – 3 October 2025 – Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh
A case was registered after a video allegedly showed a man urinating on a Shivling located near a Durga temple in Ashok Nagar, under Sarkanda police limits. The accused, identified as Ashraf Khan, was booked following protests by local residents and Hindu organisations demanding action. Police confirmed registration of a case and said they were examining digital evidence circulated online to establish the sequence of events.
#4 Disrespect to Bahubali Statue at Museum – 23 May 2025 – Dewas, Madhya Pradesh
Police in Sonkatch registered a case after images circulated online showing a youth allegedly sitting on a statue of Bhagwan Bahubali with footwear inside the Gandharvpuri Museum. The photographs were reportedly posted on Instagram. Jain and Hindu groups lodged complaints stating that the act hurt religious sentiments. Authorities said the accused was identified and legal action initiated, while security arrangements at the museum were reviewed.
#5 Urination on Annapurna Idol at Nageshwar Temple – 2 May 2025 – Pune, Maharashtra
A video went viral allegedly showing a youth urinating on an idol of Goddess Annapurna inside the Nageshwar temple in Paud village. Police identified the accused as Chand Sheikh (19). A complaint was filed by local residents, following which police registered a case and detained the accused. Another individual was also booked after allegedly making provocative remarks during the aftermath of the incident.
#6 Urination on Temple Wall, Obscene Gestures Alleged – 30 April 2025 – Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Residents of Dev Nagar complained that two youths urinated on a temple wall and allegedly made obscene gestures when confronted by a local woman. Following protests and a police station gherao, Dev Nagar police detained the accused, including a man identified as Nadeem. Police said the case was registered after statements were recorded from witnesses present at the scene.
#7 Video of Foot on Shivling Circulated Online – 30 January 2025 – Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh
A video allegedly showing a man placing his foot on a Shivling inside a temple surfaced on social media. The accused, identified as Imran Sukkha, was booked after complaints from local Hindu groups. Police said the video was examined and a case registered for insulting religious beliefs. The accused was taken into custody pending further investigation.
#8 Spitting Inside Temple Premises – 19 October 2024 – Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh
Sitapur police arrested a man identified as Shamshad after allegations that he entered a temple near Sadarpur main square, consumed paan, and spat inside the premises. The incident was reported by local residents, and police said immediate action was taken. The accused was produced before a court after being booked under relevant penal provisions.
#9 Urination Outside Hanuman Temple – 27 October 2024 – Indore, Madhya Pradesh
A minor was detained after a video showed him allegedly urinating on the wall of a Hanuman temple on MG Road. Police registered a case under provisions relating to public nuisance and insult to religion. Authorities said counselling was also arranged given the age of the accused, while legal procedures were followed as per juvenile justice norms.
#10 Muthyalamma Temple Durga Idol Damaged in Early Morning Attack – 14 October 2024 – Secunderabad, Telangana
On the morning of 14 October 2024, unrest erupted in Secunderabad after the idol of Goddess Durga at the Muthyalamma Temple in Kummariguda was vandalised at around 4:35 a.m. A local resident noticed the damage and raised an alarm, leading locals to apprehend the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Salman Salim Thakur, a computer engineer. Reports stated he was a follower of Zakir Naik and had been involved in similar incidents in Mumbai earlier. After being beaten by the crowd, he was handed to police and hospitalised. Media reports later described him as mentally unstable.
#11 Bhoolaxmi Temple Goddess Idol Vandalised During Janmashtami – 26 August 2024 – Hyderabad, Telangana
On the night of 26 August 2024, coinciding with Krishna Janmashtami, a goddess idol at the Bhoolaxmi Temple in Rakshapuram was vandalised around 11:30 p.m., triggering protests across Hyderabad. Locals viewed the act as an attempt to disrupt communal harmony ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. Hindu organisations, including the VHP, gathered at the temple, chanting bhajans and blocking Rakshapuram Road while demanding swift action. Notably, the temple had faced similar attacks multiple times in the past five years. A local Muslim leader later handed over two suspects, claiming one was mentally unstable.
#12 Assault Following Objection to Urination – 30 July 2024 – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Police registered a case after a man allegedly urinated on a temple wall in Rajajipuram. When a local resident objected, he was allegedly assaulted by the accused and others using sticks and rods. The injured filed a complaint, leading to the arrest of three individuals. Police said charges included assault and intentional insult to religious sentiments.
#13 Urination Inside Shiva Temple – 26 June 2024 – Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
In the Akrabad area, two men identified as Sohel and Irfan were arrested after allegations that they urinated inside an ancient Shiva temple. Local religious leaders lodged a complaint, prompting police action. Authorities confirmed that the accused were taken into custody and an investigation was initiated to verify the allegations.
#14 Meat Waste Dumped Inside Koniyamman Temple Premises – 1 June 2024 – Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
In June 2024, 41-year-old M Muhamed Ayaz was arrested for allegedly dumping chicken and mutton waste inside the parking area of the Koniyamman Temple on Raja Street, Coimbatore. The act occurred around 9:30 a.m. on 1 June and sparked communal tension in the area. Ayaz, a resident of Podanur, reportedly sourced the meat waste from his brother’s shop. He was arrested on 5 June and remanded to judicial custody the following day under IPC Sections 153A, 504, and 290. Investigations revealed he had allegedly engaged in similar acts earlier, raising concerns over intent.
#15 Urination at Kali Temple Entrance – 12 December 2023 – Dehradun, Uttarakhand
A video circulated showing a man allegedly urinating at the entrance of a Kali temple in the Harrawala area. Dehradun police arrested the accused, identified as Saddam, and registered a case under IPC sections related to religious insult and public mischief. Police said swift action was taken after the video went viral.
#16 Urination on Shiva Idol – 3 November 2023 – Murshidabad, West Bengal
Police registered a case after a video showed a man allegedly urinating on a Shiva idol in a village temple in Salar block. The accused was identified following complaints from villagers. Murshidabad police said legal proceedings were initiated after verifying the authenticity of the video.
#17 Urination at Ram Ghat, Ujjain – 1(December 2023 – Madhya Pradesh
A sanitation worker was arrested after allegedly urinating at Ram Ghat under the Mahakal police station limits. Police booked the accused under IPC Section 295A following public outrage. Authorities stated that the act occurred at a sensitive religious site and was treated seriously.
#18 Desecration at Private Shrine – 7 August 2023 – Sydney, Australia
Australian police registered a case after CCTV footage allegedly showed a woman throwing used sanitary items and soiling a Shivling at a private Hindu shrine. The incident occurred in New South Wales. Police confirmed that charges were filed after reviewing video evidence.
#19 Desecration Across Multiple Hanuman & Local Temples – 22 April 2023 – Muzaffarpur, Bihar
On 22 April 2023, Mohammed Moiuddin caused chaos across multiple Hindu temples in Muzaffarpur. He entered the Hanuman Temple at Kalyani Chowk wearing shoes and stood indecently before the idol, assaulting the priest when confronted. He then moved to another temple and repeated the act before proceeding to a third temple, where he urinated. Witnesses reported that he shouted Islamic slogans during the rampage. Locals apprehended him, and police later described him as mentally unstable, citing medical certificates produced by his family, a claim that failed to calm public anger.
#20 Obscene Acts Inside Vishweshwar Mahadev Temple – 21 December 2022 – Indore, Madhya Pradesh
A man identified as Wasim alias Abdul Tahir was arrested after allegations of obscene behaviour inside the temple’s sanctum. Women devotees recorded a video, which later surfaced online. Police registered a case and detained the accused.
#21 Urination on Shivling in Meerut – 18 October 2022 – Uttar Pradesh
In October 2022, a video surfaced showing Mohammad Shoaib urinating on a Shivling inside a 200-year-old Mahadev Temple in Rasna village, Meerut. The incident occurred on 18 October and quickly went viral on social media, sparking outrage. Police described Shoaib as mentally retarded and a drug addict, claiming intoxication led to the act. His family provided medical certificates to support this claim. Despite the seriousness of the desecration, authorities framed the incident primarily as a mental health issue rather than a deliberate act.
#22 Hanuman Idol Vandalised at Night – 27 September 2022 – Ranchi, Jharkhand
On the night of 27 September 2022, Rameez Ahmed was caught after vandalising a Hanuman temple in Ranchi. He reportedly broke the temple lock and damaged the idol of Bajrang Bali. Locals detained him and alerted the police. Authorities later described Rameez as a “mental patient,” a claim that residents openly questioned, pointing out the precision with which the idol was targeted. The incident intensified concerns over repeated vandalism of Hindu temples and the routine attribution of such acts to mental illness.
#23 Durga Idol Attacked by Two Muslim Women – 27 September 2022 – Hyderabad, Telangana
On 27 September 2022, two Muslim women vandalised a Goddess Durga idol in Hyderabad’s Khairatabad area and attempted to damage a statue of Mother Mary outside a nearby church. When locals intervened, they were attacked by the women. Police later stated that the women were mentally ill, with relatives claiming they were undergoing treatment for schizophrenia.
#24 Attempted Arson of Temple Chariots – September 2021 – Perambalur, Tamil Nadu
In September 2021, Mohammad Khan attempted to set fire to two temple chariots in V. Kalathur village near Veppanthattai. Villagers intervened after noticing flames and caught Khan, who reportedly said he acted out of curiosity and would repeat it if allowed. He was handed over to police, but Hindu Munnani expressed fears that authorities would downplay the act by declaring the accused mentally ill, as had occurred in previous cases.
#25 Desecration at Koragajja Temple – 3 April 2021 – Mangaluru, Karnataka
Three youths were arrested after allegations of placing a condom in a donation box and urinating on a Shivling inside the Koragajja temple. Police registered a case following local outrage and investigation.
#26 Urination at Dasna Devi Temple – 18 March 2021 – Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
A man identified as Asif was booked after allegedly urinating on a Shivling at Dasna Devi temple. Police registered a case after the incident was recorded and shared online.
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