Lucknow – The harassment of devotees by shopkeepers at the famous Chandrika Devi Temple in Lucknow continues unabated. The latest incident involves Malihabad SDM Ankit Kumar, who was subjected to verbal abuse and threats by local shopkeepers for refusing to purchase prasad (offering sweets). The situation escalated to the point where police intervention became necessary, resulting in the arrest of three accused individuals, all of whom have prior records of violent behavior.
According to reports, on Saturday, SDM Ankit Kumar visited the Chandrika Devi Temple for darshan. As soon as his official vehicle stopped inside the temple premises, shopkeeper Rajnath Singh demanded that the driver buy prasad before parking the vehicle. Even after the driver explained that the SDM was inside the car, Singh refused to comply. Soon, two other men, Rupesh Yadav and Durgesh Mishra, joined Singh, and together they began verbally abusing and threatening the SDM’s party.
Observing the worsening situation, the SDM immediately alerted the police. A team led by BKT police station in-charge Sanjay Kumar Singh arrived promptly and took the three accused into custody. Further investigation and legal action against them are underway.
Locals near the temple claim that such aggressive behavior by shopkeepers has become commonplace. Devotees are often forced to buy prasad under duress, and those who resist face verbal and physical abuse. While the local police are aware of these issues, effective action to curb the lawlessness has been lacking so far.
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred. Just two months ago, a similar confrontation between devotees and shopkeepers at the temple went viral on social media, leading to arrests and public apologies by some of the accused, who even offered roses to the devotees as a gesture of remorse.
Other related incidents include a violent altercation on April 26 in the parking area involving Barabanki residents Ankur and Seema, as well as a dispute over prasad between Piyush Sharma of Triveninagar, Lucknow, and his family, which also ended in violence. Though some arrests were made in these cases, no substantial improvements have been observed on the ground.
The Chandrika Devi Temple is one of the most prominent religious sites in the state, attracting thousands of devotees daily. However, the continued misbehavior and bullying by local shopkeepers are raising serious concerns about the temple’s sanctity and the effectiveness of administrative control.
