LUCKNOW: Tension gripped two villages of Aligarh, prompting protests by locals and members of the Karni Sena, as religious slogans were allegedly found written on the walls of four temples in Bulakgadhi and Bhagwanpur villages on Saturday. As per Police sources, an FIR was lodged and investigation was underway to verify the allegations.
Slogans were written at four different locations, and the police promptly removed them to maintain peace and prevent any disturbance to law and order. However, the protestors demanded immediate action against the culprits.
As per Circle Officer (CO) Sanjeev Kumar, the slogans were written at four different locations, and the situation in the area was now under control. Soon after the news spread, members of the Karni Sena reached Bhagwanpur and created a ruckus, alleging that the act was a deliberate attempt to disturb communal harmony in the area.
Based on a complaint by Gyanendra Singh Chauhan, national vice-president of Karni Sena, police registered the case against seven people under BNS Sections 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 351 (criminal intimidation) at Lodha police station in Aligarh.
According to police sources, all the accused except one are residents of Bhagwanpur village. No one has been arrested so far. According to the complaint, the accused were involved in writing religious slogans on the walls of temples in nearby villages, triggering tension in the locality.
Station House Officer (SHO) of Lodha police station, Ankit Kumar, said the complainant had named seven persons and had suspected their involvement in the incident. "We are verifying the allegations and investigating the matter from all angles," he said.
According to the SHO, the police received information on Saturday morning that religious slogans had been found written on the walls of four temples in Bulakgadhi and Bhagwanpur villages. A police team immediately rushed to the spot. However, before the arrival of the police team, members of the Karni Sena had stormed the village and had started protesting. "The police pacified the crowd and removed the slogans from the temple walls," Kumar added.
Complainant Chauhan claimed that it was his associate, Sachin, who first informed the police about the incident. He added that locals suspected the involvement of some persons — all of whom were named in the FIR — in carrying out the act.
Chauhan also targeted the police, saying that instead of taking prompt action against the accused, the police focused on removing the slogans and allegedly detained and assaulted Sachin. He also accused the police of trying to hush up the incident. However, SHO Kumar refuted the allegations, and said Sachin was not detained or assaulted.
