Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

India

UP: Dalit Man Alleges Beating, Denial of Entry at Barabanki Temple

Dalit
AI generated

A 27-year-old Dalit man, Shailendra, has alleged that he was assaulted and abused with casteist slurs after he tried to offer prayers at the Lodheshwar Mahadev temple in Barabanki district. The incident has sparked outrage and calls for a fair probe, though the priest involved has claimed it was Shailendra who misbehaved.

According to Shailendra’s police complaint, he was stopped by the temple priest Aditya Tiwari, along with Akhil and Shubham Tiwari, who allegedly hurled casteist insults at him when he attempted to offer worship. When he protested, he claimed they attacked him with a temple vessel and a bell. He was initially taken to a community health centre in Ramnagar and later referred to the district hospital in Barabanki for further treatment.

However, the priest has denied any caste-based motive, instead alleging that Shailendra attempted to molest his daughter-in-law during prayer.

“My son and daughter-in-law were praying when this man tried to molest her,” said Aditya Tiwari. “When my son objected, he started beating and abusing him. This has nothing to do with caste.”

Tiwari also said he had been called by the Station House Officer (SHO) and would present his side of the story to the police. “Many sevadars in the temple are from Dalit and backward communities. Lakhs visit during Sawan and Shivratri. No such complaint has ever come before,” he claimed.

Both parties have filed complaints. Ramnagar SHO Anil Kumar Pandey said the matter is under investigation. “We are checking the CCTV footage and will take appropriate action after verifying both versions,” he told reporters.

You May Also Like

India

Jailed activist and former JNU student leader Sharjeel Imam, charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the alleged 2020 Delhi riots “larger...

India

Lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has strongly criticised the visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India, expressing shame over the reception...

India

Three police officers have been suspended for alleged negligence after a 15-year-old Dalit boy went missing in a river while trying to escape a...

India

At least 10 students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai have been booked by police for allegedly participating in an...

Copyright © 2025 The Observer Post. All Rights Reserved.