Brawl Between Priest, Police Official Over Loudspeaker During Kanpur Rath Yatra, Cop Suspended
The dispute erupted between police and the priest over the installation of additional sound systems for the procession.
A dispute broke out between a temple priest and a police officer after the latter allegedly misbehaved with the priest over the installation of loudspeakers during Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Uttar Pradesh' Kanpur on Friday.
The priest, Mahant Jitendra Das of Panki Hanuman Temple, had allegedly threatened to self-immolate if police didn't allow the Rath Yatra to proceed without removing additional sound systems. This prompted the senior officials to place station officer of the Badshahi Naka police station under suspension, news agency PTI reported.
According to Mahant Jitendra Das and Krishna Das of Jagannath temple, before the Rath Yatra could begin, police officials arrived and instructed that only two speakers should be used in the band. Organisers opposed this and during the conversation, the police allegedly misbehaved with them.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Satyajit Gupta said that Station Officer (Badshahi Naka) Rajiv Kumar has been put under suspension for allegedly misbehaving with Das and also abusing him.
'We have had a conversation with Yatra coordinators. The SHO of Badshahi Naka has allegedly attempted misconduct and hurled abuses. It was said that until he is suspended, 'Shobha Yatra' will not be started… Keeping all this in consideration, I will be taking action for suspension…," he said.
He further appealed the organisers and devotees to continue with the Rath Yatra as it was already delayed.
'We have made an appeal to the mahant, devotees and others to take out the Jagannath Rath Yatra without removing the additional sound systems as it is already delayed and the removal of the additional sound systems will lead to a further delay. A request has also been made to maintain peace and not pay attention to rumours," the DCP added.
As a precautionary measure, reserved police forces and personnel from neighbouring police stations were deployed along the procession route.
What's The Row?
The dispute erupted between police and the priest over the installation of additional sound systems for the procession. According to local residents, devotees got anguished over the demand, following which they sat on a dharna at Nayaganj.
Das told reporters that the officer, along with police personnel from Nayaganj, arrived at the spot and asked them to carry only two speakers with the procession, when they were preparing to take out the Jagannath Rath Yatra at 1 pm.
'When we opposed this, saying no senior official had issued any such instruction, the police personnel misbehaved with us," he said.
Irked by the alleged misbehaviour of the police personnel, supporters of the priest started raising slogans against police. Officials tried to pacify the priest and his supporters, but they were adamant on their demand that the SO should be placed under suspension.
The priest had gave an ultimatum that if no action was taken against the erring police personnel by 8 pm, he would set himself on fire, which prompted top officials to swing into action.
The Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out around 8 pm, after the SO was suspended.
(With inputs from agencies)
First Published:
June 28, 2025, 09:57 IST
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