LUCKNOW: A communal flare-up was witnessed in Varanasi on the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan when two Kanwariyas, carrying holy water on foot to offer to Lord Shiva, were allegedly attacked and pressured to convert to Islam by a group of men outside a mosque.
As per the devotees, they were allegedly told by the attackers to “Stop saying ‘Bol Bam’... and say ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ instead.” The incident took place on July 28, around 5 pm on the Rajatalab-Jansa highway.
A case was lodged against 12 accused, including charges of attempted religious conversion, assault, and robbery. So far, six people have been arrested, including the main accused, Munawwar.
Police said raids were on to catch the remaining suspects. As per the local sources, Shubham Yadav and Paltu Yadav, the two devotees, were walking from Adalpura and were on their way to Jansa Shiva Temple.
While walking with the Kanwar, they were chanting “Bol Bam” and “Har-Har Mahadev” when around 10–12 Muslim youths intercepted them near a mosque.
Initially, both the devotees were asked questions about their Kanwar and the situation turned tense when they were told by a group of persons to abandon Hindu chants and accept Islam.
The sources claimed that the devotees were told by the group not to chant ‘Bol Bam’ in that locality. When the Kanwariyas refused, they were allegedly abused, insulted, and then assaulted.
In the attack, Paltu Yadav allegedly suffered a serious head injury after being assaulted with a sharp object. Shubham ran for help but was chased and beaten across the narrow alleys. Both were rescued only after other Kanwariyas arrived.
As news of the assault spread, a furious group of Kanwariyas blocked the road, demanding justice. The commotion lasted for over four hours.
Local police teams, led by SO and ACP Rajatalab, arrived to control the crowd and pacify the devotees. In a dramatic twist, Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s district president Rajesh Pandey reached the site with a licensed weapon and clashed with senior police officials. He was taken into custody, and his weapon was seized.
However, with tensions flaring, police barricaded routes to Rajatalab and Jansa. Shops remained closed as raids continued overnight. The police presence was significantly increased to avoid communal escalation.
At the same time, the district police authorities increased the force on the streets of Rani Bazar where the families of the accused stay. The authorities have stopped the entry of anybody into the street as those families are surrounded by the Hindu community.
As per the local sources, the male members of the families of the accused have been absconding.