Nalanda: Police have detained three minor Muslim boys in connection with an alleged attempt to damage a Hanuman Ji murti at a Shiva temple in the Sherpur-Thawai locality under Bihar Police Station in Nalanda district. The incident took place on September 12, 2026, and was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the temple premises.
According to the Nalanda Police statement on September 12, 2026, information was received at around 6:30 pm that some miscreants had attempted to damage the Hanuman Ji murti installed outside the Shiva temple. Police examined the CCTV footage and identified three children, stated to be around four to five years old, throwing bricks and stones towards the murti.
Police said the three children were subsequently detained and questioned in connection with the incident. No damage to the murti was found, according to the police.
An FIR has been registered on the basis of a written complaint submitted by Aarav Raj, and further legal action is underway. Police officials, along with additional personnel and a magistrate, have been deployed in and around the temple as a precautionary measure. Police said the law and order situation is normal.
As per media reports, CCTV footage showed the children entering the temple premises, throwing stones and bricks from outside the grille, and allegedly urinating inside the temple.
Bihar temple vandalism: 3 Muslim minors detained after CCTV shows stone-pelting, urinating inside Shiva temple
Three minor Muslim boys were detained after an incident of vandalism at a Shiva temple in the Sherpur-Thawai area of Bihar Sharif in Nalanda district.
The incident,… pic.twitter.com/Pa4Mtp1sRw
— Ritam English (@english_ritam) September 15, 2026
Local residents raise concerns
According to local reports, the incident came to light after local youth Suraj Kumar visited the temple on the evening of September 12 for puja and found bricks and stones scattered around the premises. He initially cleaned the area before checking the CCTV footage, which reportedly showed the children at the temple at around 2:45 pm.
Speaking to media, Suraj Kumar said that residents informed the administration after viewing the footage to prevent the situation from escalating. He also raised concerns about encroachment on pathways leading to the temple and the closure of one of the roads, which he said had affected access to the shrine. He further claimed that similar incidents had occurred in the area in the past.
Aman Kumar, who performs puja at the temple, said the area is predominantly Muslim and that the temple is the only one in the locality. He alleged that miscreants frequently gather around the temple and claimed that the children deliberately threw stones at the temple gate and urinated inside the premises. He also referred to previous thefts at the temple.
Following the incident, Bajrang Dal workers visited the temple on September 13, 2026, and demanded strict action. Police deployment was increased around the temple to prevent any escalation.
Earlier incidents involving Hindu religious places and practices in Bihar
The latest incident comes amid reports of other cases involving Hindu religious places and practices in Bihar in recent months.
On June 8, 2026, an murti of Sant Ravidas was reportedly vandalised and thrown into a garbage heap at a Ravidas temple near the Girls’ Middle School in Chand village, Kaimur district.
More recently, on August 26, 2026, tension was reported in East Champaran after raw eggs were allegedly thrown at a revered Devisthan shrine in Machhar Ganwan, Kotwa.
The latest Nalanda incident remains under investigation, with police maintaining deployment around the temple and stating that the situation is normal and under control.
