The Kerala High Court, on 19 March, ruled that Abdul Haqim, a hotelier from Guruvayoor, who desecrated a Thulasithara by throwing his pubic hairs onto it, is not schizophrenic and must face legal action. The court made this observation while hearing the bail plea of R. Sreeraj, who was jailed for sharing the video of the act on social media.
Despite the outrageous desecration of a sacred Hindu site, the police took no action against Haqim, while cracking down on the person who exposed the act. The court also questioned how Haqim continues to run a restaurant near the Guruvayoor temple and holds a driving licence if he were truly mentally unfit. The incident has sparked outrage, with Hindu organisations performing purification rituals and legal experts slamming the CPM-led Pinarayi Vijayan government’s selective inaction.
The High Court noted that Haqim, who threw his pubic hairs onto the Thulasithara, is not schizophrenic. This observation was made while considering the bail petition of R. Sreeraj, who was arrested for sharing a video of Haqim’s act on social media. The court granted Sreeraj bail, despite him being booked for ‘sharing the video, which allegedly spreads religious animosity.’
The court watched the video that Sreeraj had shared online and stated that, based on prima facie evidence, Haqim does not appear to be schizophrenic. The court further noted that no police action had been initiated against Haqim.
For Hindus, the Thulasithara is a sacred installation. The video clearly shows Haqim plucking his pubic hairs and throwing them onto the Thulasithara—an act that is an outright assault on Hindu faith and sentiments. Despite this, the police failed to register a case against him.
Shockingly, Haqim continues to operate his restaurant in Guruvayoor, remains its owner and licensee, and still holds a driving licence—all while facing no consequences. Meanwhile, the man who merely shared the video of the crime was jailed.
The video of Haqim’s desecration act, which surfaced on social media, sparked widespread protests.
The High Court ruled that the police must take appropriate action against Haqim. The court also raised critical questions:
In January, Organiser had reported the desecration incident. While the police had initially registered a suo motu case, they later claimed Haqim was schizophrenic and withdrew the case. However, despite this claim, Haqim has continued running his restaurant, National Paradise, near the Guruvayoor temple for 25 years.
Following the desecration, Hindu organisations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Hindu Aikyavedi, and local Hindu residents immediately conducted purification rituals at the Thulasithara, performing Shudhikalasham and Tulsi Vandanam.
Observers believe a dangerous trend has emerged in Kerala, where culprits who blaspheme Hindu icons are falsely declared mentally ill to evade legal consequences.
Now, with the High Court’s explicit ruling, the police’s inaction in cases involving Hindu religious sentiments has been exposed. The judgement clearly highlights that under the CPM-led Pinarayi Vijayan government, Hindus cannot expect justice.
