Police Allegedly Misbehave with Temple Staff During Dhirendra Shastri’s Banke Bihari Visit, ASP Anuj Chaudhary Caught on Camera

Mathura, UP: Tensions flared at the Banke Bihari Temple on Sunday evening when police allegedly misbehaved with temple staff and organizers during the visit of Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, head of Bageshwar Dham. Videos circulating on social media show a confrontation involving ASP Anuj Chaudhary, raising questions about police conduct.

Incident Details

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred as Shastri arrived for the temple rituals. One of the temple sevayats (attendants) was allegedly grabbed by the collar by ASP Anuj Chaudhary, causing a puja thali in his hand to fall and scatter its contents on the floor. The viral footage has sparked outrage among devotees and temple organizers.

Temple Organizers Speak Out

Acharya Mridul Kant Shastri, spokesperson for the Sanatan Hindu Ekta Padayatra, claimed that police pushed and jostled the procession organizers, tearing his kurta and dislodging the turban of fellow organizer Parvati Ballabh. He condemned the behavior as unjust and inappropriate toward devotees.

Padayatra Delays

Temple authorities also alleged that police hindered the 5-kilometer padayatra from the religious assembly to the Banke Bihari Temple, causing it to take three hours. According to the team, authorities deliberately diverted the procession through narrow and uneven paths instead of the main route, resulting in unnecessary delays.

The temple team stated that it seemed the police were discouraging Shastri from walking to the temple, despite the padayatra’s main objective being the Bageshwar Banke Bihari Milap. The incident has triggered widespread criticism on social media, with people questioning the conduct of the UP Police during religious events.