Attacks on Hindus and Hindu Dharma, both in Bharat and overseas, are frequent and unrelenting. In many regions of the world, this persecution is like a genocide slowly unfolding before our eyes. For decades, the world has ignored the actual depth and breadth of these attacks, driven by disturbing anti-Hindu bigotry. From murders, forced conversions, land grabs, assault on festivals, desecration of temples and murtis, hate speech, and sexual violence to institutionalised & legal discrimination, Hindus are facing an increasing assault on their very existence along with an unprecedented Hindu hatred.
In this weekly summary for the period from 25 January to 31 January 2026, we hope to provide a snapshot of such crimes and hopefully awaken more people around the world to this human rights crisis:
Bharat
1) In a disturbing case that has sparked local outrage and protests, a 63-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping an 11-year-old Hindu girl in the Jamaldah area of Mekhliganj, Cooch Behar district. The accused, identified as Enamul Miyan, reportedly threatened the minor Hindu girl with a sharp weapon before committing the assault.
2) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched extensive raids across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu as a part of the investigation into the alleged money laundering in the Sabarimala gold theft case. ED raids in 21 locations included properties of Devaswom Board’s former chief and CPIM leader.
3) Visuals from a recent protest march in Palakkad have sparked debate over protest conduct and cultural sensitivity, particularly as the demonstration followed the death of a student at a school hostel. The protest was organized by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and was directed at a well-known school in Palakkad run by an organization affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). During the protest, certain visuals drew public attention and were widely circulated on social media and television channels. In particular, footage showing the sacred Om symbol at the school’s entrance being removed and handled during the protest triggered strong reactions online.
4) Police in Chhattisgarh’s Surguja district arrested Mohammed Mahfooz, a resident of Bihar’s Patna, for allegedly posing as a Hindu man to deceive and exploit Janjatiya women. The incident involves fake social media profiles and false claims of being a railway officer, highlighting ongoing concerns over fraudulent relationships targeting vulnerable Hindu girls.
5) The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Jammu & Kashmir Police have launched a manhunt to arrest a suspected Islamic terrorist, Mohammed Ujaid Qureshi. The suspect is a Meerut resident and is allegedly linked to a terror network inspired by Al-Qaeda. The investigators uncovered a WhatsApp group in which discussions about Fedayeen (suicide) attacks on Indian security forces were ongoing.
6) A shocking case of alleged sexual grooming (also called love jihad in Bharatiya common parlance) has emerged from Gurugram’s Rajiv Nagar area, where a Hindu woman from Bihar claims a man hid his Muslim identity to marry her in a temple ceremony, only to later assault her and demand her conversion to Islam. The accused has been identified as Arif Khan who posed as Aarav to trick the victim.
7) In a disturbing incident reported from Uttara Kannada district, 18-year-old Faisan Jaffer Shaikh set fire to Dinakar’s house in Devarahakkala village of Kumta taluk when the latter’s family was away attending the temple fair. The accused has been taken into police custody.
8) The Madikeri Rural Police have arrested a 21-year-old college student, Islamist Mohammad Sawad of Napoklu village, for allegedly engaging in sexual acts with multiple women, recording the acts on his mobile phone, and allowing the videos to circulate on social media platforms. The accused is a BBA student studying at a college in Bengaluru, police confirmed.
9) Tension prevailed in the Hipparga NS village of Jewargi taluk after members of the Hindu community staged protests against Mohammed Haneef, alleging an attempt to remove the nameboard of Shri Nijasharana Ambigara Choudayya and to encroach upon nearly 4 acres of Hindu-owned land. The protest erupted following a series of official notices and police-linked communications related to the disputed land.
Bangladesh
Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh are relentless and designed to cleanse the religious minority from the country gradually. According to a study by Prof. Abul Barakat of Dhaka University, no Hindus will be left in Bangladesh by 2050 due to systemic and institutionalized persecution. Temple desecration, land grabbing, mob attacks after false blasphemy charges, rape/forced conversion of women, and hate speech are tools used to intimidate and drive Hindus out.
1) In a shocking incident that has heightened concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh, a 23-year-old Hindu mechanic was burned to death after assailants allegedly set fire to the garage where he was sleeping. The victim, identified as Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik, was the sole breadwinner for his family and worked at a local car repair workshop in Narsingdi town.
Most hate crimes are driven by anti-Hindu bigotry encoded in certain religious teachings and political ideologies. While the anti-Hindu hate in Islamic countries is evident, there is another subtler form of anti-Hindu sentiment within institutions and the public sphere of ostensibly secular states (like India) that provides an enabling environment for Hinduphobia and hate crimes. This subtle, everyday discrimination can be missed unless one studies prevailing laws and patterns. The gradual ban on firecrackers during Diwali is a good example – it might seem pollution-related on the surface. Still, the double standards at play become apparent when one looks at the larger picture of restrictions on Hindu festivals and the lack of sound reasoning behind the ban.
We request all readers to share other anti-Hindu hate crimes that we might have missed in this period in the comments below or by emailing [email protected]. We also solicit support in maintaining the Hindu human rights tracker database.
