Pilibhit family’s private shrine built out of faith demolished after Hindu outfit alleges illegal activity; grieving Hindu man calls action ‘unjust’
NEW DELHI — In an unusual and disturbing incident in the Simbua village of Pilibhit district in Uttar Pradesh, a Hindu man’s personal act of spiritual devotion has been painted as a case of religious conversion, resulting in the forced demolition of tombs he had built in his home.
The incident unfolded in the Bilsanda police station area, where Dheeraj, a local Hindu resident, had quietly constructed five small tombs inside his private residence several years ago. These tombs, he said, were not meant for any religious conversion or public activity. They were, in his words, “a symbol of my gratitude and belief” after a series of tragic deaths in his family came to an end.
However, on a recent evening, this personal shrine was brought down in the presence of police and members of a Hindu right-wing organisation called the Rashtriya Yogi Sena. Armed with hammers and accompanied by police officers, the tombs were reduced to rubble. The justification? A written complaint by the group’s district president, Sumit Sharma, who alleged that the tombs were illegal and being used for conversion.
Dheeraj, the man at the centre of this controversy, recounted his side of the story in a soft, shaken voice.
“Many years ago, my family was going through a terrible time. We lost several loved ones one after the other. It was unbearable,” he said. In his search for peace, he turned to the spiritual blessings of Makhdoom Ashraf Baba, a revered Sufi saint of Kachoucha Sharif in Ambedkar Nagar district, whose shrine is visited by both Muslims and Hindus.
“After I lit a lamp there in his name, our home finally found peace. The deaths stopped. I decided to build small tombs in a corner of our house out of respect. It was a private space. No one from outside even knew about it,” he explained.
Dheeraj says the tombs were never used for any public activity or gatherings. “I never called anyone, never preached anything. I didn’t even go there every day. It was just my personal way of remembering the peace I received,” he added.
Despite the tombs being inside a private Hindu home and not visible to the public, their existence came to the notice of Sumit Sharma, who leads the local unit of the Rashtriya Yogi Sena, an organisation that claims to protect Hindu values and culture.
Sharma lodged a complaint with Bilsanda police, alleging that Dheeraj was involved in religious conversion and had constructed the tombs illegally, which hurt the sentiments of the local Hindu community.
“We received reports that tombs had been built inside a Hindu house and people were being converted. We cannot allow this. This is our duty towards dharma (religion),” Sharma was quoted by the media as saying. When asked if any actual conversion had been proven, he declined to comment directly.
Following the complaint, police arrived at the house, reportedly with members of the organisation, and ordered the tombs to be removed.
According to the police, the house owner himself agreed to remove the tombs to avoid unrest.
“There was no tension in the village. The owner removed the tombs himself. The matter is now closed,” said a local officer, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“I was forced. They came with the police and brought a boy from the neighbourhood named Ankit. He used a hammer to break everything in front of my eyes,” he said, his voice breaking.
“I did not agree to it. I was told that if I did not cooperate, they would arrest me. I was scared. I have a family to look after. What could I do?”
Neighbourhood residents said they were surprised when the tombs were demolished. “No one had any problem with Dheeraj. He is a Hindu and always kept to himself. This was unnecessary,” said one elderly resident who requested anonymity.
The incident has created a sharp divide in public opinion. While Hindu groups claim it was a necessary step to stop alleged illegal religious activity, others are calling it a direct attack on personal belief and minority traditions, even if practised by Hindus themselves.
Activists and social observers say the demolition reflects the growing atmosphere of religious hostility and intolerance, where even expressing respect towards Muslim saints or Sufi traditions can invite suspicion.
Prof Arif Hussain, a sociologist based in Lucknow, said: “This is not a case of conversion. This is about fear being spread. When a Hindu cannot express spiritual faith in a Sufi saint without being attacked, we must question where our society is heading.”
He added, “India has a long tradition of Hindus visiting dargahs and Muslims visiting temples. This was never a problem. But today, even that is being weaponised for political gains.”
The presence of police during the demolition has also raised eyebrows. Critics say that instead of protecting Dheeraj’s constitutional right to worship and belief, the authorities sided with the group and allowed the destruction to happen without a legal investigation.
Advocate Shakir Ali from Bareilly, a high court lawyer, said: “There is no law that stops anyone from building a private shrine inside their house unless it is used to disturb peace or public order. If Dheeraj had not invited anyone and no conversion was happening, then on what basis was this demolished?”
He said that using police to target peaceful citizens based on unverified complaints sets a dangerous precedent. “Today it was a Hindu who followed a Sufi saint. Tomorrow it could be a Muslim lighting a diya. This is not just about religion. This is about freedom,” he said.
While the person targeted in this case is Hindu, many Muslims believe the incident indirectly sends a message to Muslims and those who sympathise with them.
“What happened is not just about tombs. It’s about creating fear. Even if you are Hindu, if you show any connection to a Muslim saint or tradition, you will be punished,” said Shahnawaz Ali, a youth activist in Pilibhit.
He added, “This is part of a larger plan to erase shared traditions. They don’t want unity between Hindus and Muslims. They want division.”
Other locals in the area said the tombs built by Dheeraj were modest, small structures, not resembling full-scale dargahs. “They were just small mounds with cloth on them, like people do in villages out of faith,” said Iqbal, a Muslim resident of the same village.
The incident has gone viral on social media, with many criticising the action as unfair and aggressive. Videos and pictures of the demolished tombs have been shared widely, sparking debate on personal freedom and religious tolerance.
One user wrote on Twitter (now X), “Is it now a crime in India for a Hindu to respect a Sufi saint? Shameful.” Another commented, “This is not about tombs. This is about crushing belief and targeting anyone who doesn’t follow the narrative.”
Many have also asked why right-wing groups are allowed to take such actions without legal scrutiny.
“Who gave Yogi Sena the right to enter someone’s private house and break things? If there is a problem, let the courts decide,” wrote a user named Rukhsar Ahmed.
India has a long history of shared spiritual heritage. From Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer to Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi, thousands of Hindus have historically visited Sufi shrines. Such practices have been accepted as part of Indian culture.
But observers say that over the past few years, these traditions have been labelled “un-Hindu” and attacked.
Dr Shalini Verma, a cultural historian, said: “There is a clear attempt to purify Hinduism according to one narrow idea. This hurts not just Muslims but millions of Hindus who follow inclusive, syncretic practices.”
Meanwhile, Dheeraj says he wants no political controversy. “I am a simple man. I only want my family to be safe and happy. I never asked for this trouble,” he said.
But he remains shaken. “They broke something that gave me peace. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel the same again.”
Despite the ordeal, he says he still holds respect for Makhdoom Ashraf Baba. “He brought peace to my house. No one can change what I feel inside,” he said quietly.
As villagers return to routine, the questions raised by the demolition remain. Is a person’s spiritual belief only acceptable if it fits into certain boundaries? What happens when religious faith crosses invisible political lines?
This incident, though small in appearance, reflects a much bigger tension running through Indian society today. A tension not just between religions, but between freedom and fear, belief and force.
