100-Year-Old Hindu Temple Demolished In Pakistan, Rain Or Madrasa At Centre Of Dispute

A more than 100-year-old Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Punjab province has been demolished, triggering a dispute over whether the structure collapsed due to torrential rains or was deliberately brought down to make way for a madrasa.

The temple, located in Siraj village in Narowal, around 130 km from Lahore, was reportedly demolished on August 21. Estimated to be between 100 and 125 years old, it stood on approximately 1,000 square metres of land.

Minority representatives have alleged that the temple was deliberately demolished and claimed that members of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a hardline religious political organisation, were involved. Local leaders also alleged that metal fittings, bricks and other materials were removed from the site after the structure was brought down. They have urged the Punjab government to investigate, take action against those responsible and reconstruct the temple.

However, Pakistan’s Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), which oversees properties left behind by communities that migrated after Partition, has given a different explanation. The board says the temple collapsed because of torrential rains. The conflicting accounts are at the centre of the controversy.

Local representatives have also accused the district administration and ETPB of failing to adequately protect the site or remove alleged illegal occupants. Reports suggest that land next to the temple had previously been leased by the ETPB for a madrasa. The lease was later cancelled after rent allegedly remained unpaid for years, but people reportedly continued occupying parts of the property illegally.

Local leaders have also cited an April 11 report attributed to the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Narowal, claiming authorities were aware of security concerns surrounding the temple and the possibility of damage. These allegations have not been established as facts by Pakistani authorities.

A senior ETPB official has said authorities will decide whether the temple should be restored. Community representatives, meanwhile, say they are afraid to visit the site because a madrasa continues to operate on the premises, raising concerns about communal harmony and the protection of Hindu religious sites.

The incident comes amid previous cases involving Hindu temples in Pakistan. In 2020, a mob destroyed a Hindu temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, prompting Pakistan’s Supreme Court to order its reconstruction. In 2023, a 150-year-old temple in Karachi was demolished, according to the US State Department’s religious freedom report, with the Sindh government later announcing plans to rebuild it. In 2024, the historic Khaibar temple was reportedly demolished as a commercial complex was developed at the site.