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 13 September to 19 September 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) For Hindus in Tamil Nadu, obtaining permission from the government and police to conduct Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations has remained a recurring concern under successive Dravidian governments. This year saw a repetition with Joseph Vijay’s government placing curbs on Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations. According to reports, permissions were denied and Murtis were seized.
2) Hindu festivals are increasingly being turned into a playground for provocative advertising, with Bhagwans being dragged into non-vegetarian food promotions in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. From Krishna being placed alongside chicken during Vishu to Ganesh being used to sell chicken biryani during Vinayagar Chaturthi, the message is hard to miss: when it comes to Hindu religious imagery, apparently anything goes in the name of advertising. During Vishu in Kerala, posters from multiple restaurants showed Sri Krishna alongside chicken, biryani and other non-vegetarian dishes. Months later, ahead of Vinayagar Chaturthi in Tamil Nadu, a Tirunelveli biryani shop displayed a banner depicting Bhagwan Vinayagar cooking chicken biryani.
3) Devotees and the National Hindu Temple Federation (NHTF) have urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and HR&CE Minister Ramesh to take steps to recover hundreds of grounds of land allegedly belonging to the Akilandeswari Sumetha Agatheeswarar Temple in Nungambakkam, Chennai, as reported. The federation has claimed that over 450 grounds of temple land were gradually alienated over several decades, allegedly with the involvement of former trustees and officials of the HR&CE Department. The NHTF has specifically sought the recovery of around 415 grounds of land. One ground is equivalent to 2,400 square feet.
4) A shooting incident occurred near the Sironj agricultural market in Madhya Pradesh. The accused, who has been identified as Amir Mavia, shot a man named Vikram Ahirwar, who belongs to the scheduled caste community, following a dispute over the position of labour supervisor (mukaddam). The victim had been referred to Vidisha for further treatment.
5) A shocking case has come to light in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, where a man named Shahnawaz hit a woman named Anamika with a car. The incident occurred near Janeshwar Mishra Park in Gomti Nagar Extension, and a video of it went viral on social media. Shahnawaz was arrested and booked for attempted murder. The viral video shows the woman standing in front of the car and shouting, and suddenly the car starts moving, with the woman clinging to its bonnet. The car accelerated as the woman, who was barefoot, held onto the bonnet and walked backwards to prevent herself from falling.
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) A 22-year-old Hindu youth, Debashish Roy of Nilphamari, has been detained by police in Rangpur over allegations that he posted derogatory remarks targeting Islam on social media. The detention came amid growing public pressure for punishment. Following Friday prayers on September 11, demonstrators under the banner of the local Muslim Tawhid Janata marched and held a rally demanding action against Roy. Police deployed additional personnel to prevent any untoward incident. Nilphamari Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zillur Rahman confirmed that Roy had been taken into police custody and said the allegations would be investigated before further legal action.
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.
