A 200-year-old Shiv Mandir in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh was vandalised which was worshipped on Deepawali on October 21, triggering widespread anger and protests among the local Hindu community. The attack, carried out around 2 a.m., left ancient murtis shattered and Mandir gates broken with iron rods, in what locals allege was a deliberate attempt to disturb communal harmony during the festival of lights.
Miraculously, the Shivling inside the sanctum sanctorum remained unharmed, which residents described as a divine sign amid the desecration.
The incident occurred in Baghpat’s old town area, where generations of Sanatan families have lived around the ancient Shiv Mandir, performing Deepawali rituals and ancestral prayers every year. On the morning of October 22, when devotees arrived for prayers, they found the Mandir desecrated murtis smashed, gates twisted, and ritual items strewn across the floor.
🚨 SHOCKING! In UP’s Baghpat, peacefuls vandalised a 200-year-old Shiva temple at 2 a.m. — smashing ancient murtis and gates with iron rods.
👉 The Shivling was miraculously unharmed.
Locals erupted in protest, and police have detained three suspects. pic.twitter.com/UMbwuQYfcZ— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 23, 2025
“It was like waking up to a nightmare on Deepawali morning,” said one local resident, describing the scene. “The murtis of our deities were broken with such rage. Only the Shivling survived. That is Mahadev’s own protection.” As word spread, hundreds of locals gathered outside the Mandir, staging a spontaneous protest and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits. Police were soon called in to control the crowd.
Multiple eyewitnesses and local residents alleged that the attack was carried out by Islamists, who had repeatedly disrespected the Mandir premises in recent months. Villagers claimed that some miscreants used to gamble, drink alcohol, and create disturbances outside the Mandir, despite repeated complaints to authorities.
“This did not happen overnight. We complained several times to the police about the activities near the Mandir, but no action was taken. Now, they have broken our gods,” said an elderly devotee from the area.
Locals believe the vandalism was intended to provoke communal tension during Deepawali, a time when families from nearby villages visit the Mandir to seek blessings.
Following the vandalism, senior police and administrative officials, including Superintendent of Police (SP) Suraj Kumar Rai, rushed to the spot. The SP confirmed that three suspects have been detained and that CCTV footage is being examined to identify all involved in the desecration.
“A case has been registered under relevant sections, and strict legal action will be taken against those responsible,” SP Rai said, urging residents to remain calm and not be misled by rumours.
Police have intensified patrolling in the area, especially around sensitive spots and religious sites, to prevent escalation. A dedicated team has been formed to trace the culprits and uncover the motive behind the attack. Authorities have also initiated arrangements for reconsecrating the defaced murtis through proper rituals under the supervision of Mandir priests.
Local Hindu organisations and devotees have condemned the incident as part of a disturbing trend of Mandir vandalism during Hindu festivals in parts of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. They point out that such attacks often dismissed as “isolated” are strategically timed around major Hindu celebrations to incite unrest and create fear among the faithful.
Religious leaders have demanded that the state government treat the vandalism as a hate crime and ensure that the Mandir is restored to its original sanctity.
“Breaking the murtis of our gods is an attack on our faith and our identity,” said one Mandir committee member. “This is not just vandalism this is an attempt to silence Sanatan devotion in its own birthplace.”
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