Priest dragged, beaten by mob in UP over viral photo of eating non-veg
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Kanpur: A temple priest in Kanpur was allegedly assaulted by a mob after a photograph purportedly showing him eating non-vegetarian food at a restaurant went viral on social media, triggering outrage among locals.
The incident occurred late Sunday night at Bhuteshwar Temple in the Keshavpuram area of Rawatpur. According to reports, around 50 to 60 people gathered at the temple after the image surfaced online and accused the priest of hurting religious sentiments.
Videos circulating on social media show the crowd chasing and assaulting the priest as he pleaded for mercy. Several women present at the temple attempted to intervene and shield him from the mob, urging the crowd to stop the attack. However, some members of the mob allegedly slapped the women while continuing to assault the priest.
The priest, identified as Prashant Giri, also known as Golu Pandit, serves as the mahant and priest of the temple and lives in a room within the temple premises. Locals allegedly dragged him out of his room and beat him, eventually knocking him to the ground while continuing the assault.
Witnesses said a few women sat around him in an attempt to protect him, but the mob allegedly continued to slap and push them.
Police were alerted through the emergency helpline Dial 112 and rushed to the spot. Officers managed to rescue the priest from the crowd and took him to the police station.
In his complaint, the injured priest claimed that the viral photograph had been edited to defame him, alleging that some people were conspiring to remove him from the temple. He said an old photograph taken at a restaurant had been manipulated to make it appear as though he was eating non-vegetarian food.
Kamlesh Rai, the Station House Officer of Rawatpur Police Station, said police have secured the priest and are examining the viral video to identify those involved in the assault. Further investigation is underway based on the priest’s complaint.