‘Reprehensible Act Of Vandalism’: India Slams Pakistan Over Hindu Temple Demolition, Demands Probe

Last Updated:September 02, 2026, 9:42 PM IST

The 100- to 125-year-old temple, located in Siraj village in Narowal district, was allegedly demolished by a group of religious extremists.

The 100- to 125-year-old temple, located in Siraj village in Narowal district, around 130 km from Lahore, occupied nearly 1,000 square metres of land.

India on Wednesday lashed out against Pakistan for the demolition of a 100-year-old Hindu temple in the Punjab province, calling it a “reprehensible act of vandalism” against a minority place of worship.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the “apparent apathy of authorities and failure” to protect the temple in Narowal was “alarming”.

“Such incidents are a stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and the egregious violations of their religious freedoms and places of worship,” it added.

The Indian government also demanded a prompt and transparent investigation into the matter and that the perpetrators be held accountable. It also called upon Pakistan to take immediate remedial measures to restore the desecrated temple and fulfill its primary obligation to ensure the well-being of minority communities.

Why Was The Hindu Temple Demolished?

The 100- to 125-year-old temple, located in Siraj village in Narowal district, around 130 km from Lahore, occupied nearly 1,000 square metres of land. Local residents, minority organisations and a political party alleged that a group of religious extremists demolished the temple on August 21 to incorporate its land into an adjacent madrassa.

The alleged demolition has prompted the Pakistan Masiha Millat Party (PMMP) to seek action against those responsible and call for the temple to be rebuilt. Parvez Sahotra alleged that the people who demolished the temple belonged to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a banned far-right Islamic political party.

However, the provincial government of Pakistan’s Punjab issued a clarification, saying the temple collapsed in the rain and was not demolished. “Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has also visited the Hindu Temple side & found just a portion of temple sign collapsed due to torrential rainfall which the govt has committed to restore,” it said.

Hindu community leader Rattan Lal condemned the demolition and urged the Punjab government to order the temple’s reconstruction. Rattan Lal alleged that the district administration and ETPB failed to take adequate steps to protect the site or remove illegal occupants, ultimately allowing the temple to be demolished.

In July, a 125-year-old Gurdwara, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sahib in Farooqabad, was demolished. India called the act “highly deplorable”, while slamming Pakistan’s record of protecting minorities.

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Are other minority places of worship at risk in Pakistan?

A minority political party has highlighted the vulnerability of other minority places of worship, calling on the Pakistani government to take steps to protect Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and Christian churches, along with their adjoining properties, across Punjab and Pakistan. Additionally, India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that the demolition of the Narowal temple is a stark reminder of the continuing vulnerability of minority communities and their places of worship in Pakistan.

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Aveek Banerjee

Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int…Read More

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