Indian court sentences two Hindu men to two years in jail for vandalizing a Jesus statue at a historic Ambala church, condemning religious hate.
Newsroom (30/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a landmark judgment underscoring the judiciary’s stand against religious intolerance, an Indian court has sentenced two Hindu men to two years in prison for vandalizing a century-old statue of Jesus Christ at the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Ambala, Haryana. The incident, which took place on the night of December 26, 2021, shocked the local Christian community and drew widespread condemnation from civil groups and religious leaders.
The convicted men, Sandeep Kumar and Ravinder Singh, both residents of Ambala Cantonment, were found guilty of house trespass, defiling a place of worship, and promoting enmity under the Indian Penal Code. Judicial Magistrate First Class Akshay Arora delivered the judgment on March 7, with the detailed order made public on March 27. Each of the convicts was also fined 10,000 rupees (approximately US$105).
Rejecting their appeal for leniency, the court observed that such crimes strike at the foundation of communal harmony in a diverse nation. “No leniency should be shown to them,” the court noted, emphasizing that the vandals had “spread hatred towards the Christian religion.” The judge further expressed dismay that one of the convicts was a government official, remarking that “such an act of promoting enmity and hurting religious sentiments is not expected from such an official.”
According to police records, CCTV footage captured Kumar and Singh entering the church compound and breaking open the casket of the 1.67-metre-tall Sacred Heart statue, located at the church entrance. Built in 1848 during the British colonial era, the Holy Redeemer Church remains one of Ambala’s historic landmarks, dating back to when the East India Company shifted its base from Karnal to the cantonment city.
The court granted the duo a one-month bail period to appeal the verdict before a higher court. If no relief is obtained, they are to surrender by April 8 to serve their prison term. The judgment, legal experts say, sends a strong message against hate-driven attacks on religious symbols.
“This decision stands as a strong and timely precedent against acts of vandalism targeting religious symbols,” said Godfrey Pimenta, Catholic lawyer and founder-trustee of the Watchdog Foundation. “It reinforces that acts of desecration and intolerance will not be taken lightly, and that the rule of law will prevail over divisive intentions.”
Senior journalist and All India Catholic Union spokesperson John Dayal called the punishment “salutary,” but cautioned that it addresses only a fraction of the problem. “The issue of persecution of Christians will not end with punishing a petty duo,” Dayal said. “Hate crimes emanate from higher places. That font must close for hate to eventually peter out, and for religious peace and harmony to return. There are no signs yet of hatemongers being punished.”
The Ambala verdict has been widely interpreted as both a symbolic and substantive step in affirming India’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and equal protection for all faiths — a reminder that justice must continue to confront acts that threaten the nation’s plural spirit.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News
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