Police in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharthnagar district are pursuing legal action against a Hindu temple priest for allegedly breaking a Ganesh idol and falsely accusing two Muslim men of the crime, which could have potentially led to a communal riot in the sensitive BJP-governed state.
On July 16, Krich Ram, the temple priest, lodged a complaint at the Kathela Samaymata police station, claiming that Mannan and Sonu, both Muslims, had vandalized the Ganesh idol in his temple, The Wire reported.
According to the priest, the two men also issued threats, insisting that he cease conducting religious activities such as puja and kirtan. Furthermore, he accused them of assaulting his wife when she tried to intervene.
Given the sensitive nature of the allegations, local authorities, including a team of police officers, the circle officer, and the local sub-divisional magistrate, initiated an investigation. The communal climate in Uttar Pradesh, especially in areas governed by the BJP, is often volatile, and any incident with potential religious implications is treated with utmost seriousness.
During their investigation, the police discovered discrepancies in the priest’s account. Eyewitness testimonies from local children who were present at the time of the incident indicated that it was actually the priest himself who had damaged the idol.
These testimonies led the police to interrogate Krich Ram further, during which he admitted to fabricating the story to implicate Mannan and Sonu due to an ongoing personal dispute.
The confession by the priest has led the authorities to take legal action against him for filing a false report and attempting to incite communal disharmony.