When Battle Lines Cross Sacred Lines: Vishnu Statue Demolition at Thai–Cambodian Border Shocks India

New Delhi reacted with rare diplomatic anguish on Wednesday after reports emerged that a statue of Lord Vishnu was demolished amid ongoing military tensions at the Thailand–Cambodia border — an act that has sent shockwaves across India and deeply hurt Hindu sentiments worldwide.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that while armies may confront each other during conflicts, places of worship and religious symbols are traditionally respected and kept beyond the theatre of war.

What unfolded at the border, India said, crossed that long-held civilisational norm.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the demolition of the Vishnu statue — reportedly carried out by Thai military engineers using a bulldozer — was “deeply disturbing, stressing that Hindu and Buddhist deities are revered across South and Southeast Asia as part of a shared spiritual and cultural heritage.

We have seen reports on the demolition of a statue of a Hindu religious deity, built in recent times, and located in an area affected by the ongoing Thai–Cambodian border dispute.

Hindu and Buddhist deities are deeply revered and worshipped by people across the region, as part of our shared civilizational heritage,” Jaiswal said.

India underscored that, irrespective of territorial claims or military compulsions, acts that harm religious symbols inflict pain far beyond borders.

Notwithstanding territorial claims, such disrespectful acts hurt the sentiments of followers around the world and should not take place.

We urge both sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy, resume peace, and avoid further loss of lives, property, and heritage,” the MEA added.

Why This Incident Resonates Deeply in India

For Indians — particularly the vast Hindu community — Lord Vishnu occupies a central place in spiritual life, symbolising preservation, cosmic balance, and righteousness.

Temples and icons dedicated to Vishnu are spread across India and Southeast Asia, reflecting centuries of cultural exchange and shared faith traditions. The destruction of such a symbol, even if unintended or tactical, strikes at deeply held religious emotions.

That the incident occurred during active military operations has heightened the sense of alarm.

Historically, even warring armies have exercised restraint around shrines, temples, and monuments, recognising them as sacred spaces belonging not just to a nation, but to humanity’s collective conscience.

Competing Claims and Regional Fallout

Cambodia swiftly condemned the demolition, asserting that the Vishnu statue stood within its territory in the An Ses area of the border province of Preah Vihear.

Cambodian spokesperson Kim Chanpanha told AFP that the statue was located roughly 100 metres inside Cambodian territory, although satellite mapping platforms have placed it at varying distances from the border line.

We condemn the destruction of ancient temples and statues worshipped by Buddhist and Hindu followers,” Chanpanha said, adding that the act violated both cultural norms and religious respect.

Thailand, meanwhile, has not officially responded to the incident, even as videos of the bulldozer demolition circulated widely on social media, sparking outrage across India and Southeast Asia.

A Conflict Rekindled, a Heritage Harmed

The long-standing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia flared up again in July this year.

Although the two sides agreed to a ceasefire — reportedly brokered by Donald Trump — fighting resumed this month, leaving over 40 people dead and nearly one million displaced, according to AFP.

Both sides have accused each other of escalating tensions and damaging heritage structures.

Cambodia claims Thai forces have harmed temple ruins near the border, while Bangkok has countered that Cambodian troops were positioning themselves near centuries-old stone monuments.

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said fresh talks would resume later this week to work towards a durable ceasefire, cautioning that previous agreements lacked sufficient detail to hold amid active hostilities.

A Line That Should Never Be Crossed

For India, the episode has highlighted a troubling reality: when conflict begins to erase cultural and religious heritage, it leaves wounds that outlast wars themselves.

The demolition of a Vishnu statue has become more than a border incident — it is now a reminder that restraint around sacred spaces is not just a diplomatic expectation, but a moral one.

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