Lucknow : Temple tampering: Mob demands IAS’ arrest

Bhadrapad Shuklapaksha 8, Kaliyug Varsha 5116

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) : A day after an FIR was lodged against a senior IAS officer and others for razing the wall of a temple in Dubagga area of Thakurganj police circle on Saturday, the issue took a new turn on Sunday morning when a mob took out a procession culminating at Dubagga crossing and blocked traffic movement demanding immediate action in the case. Police used mild force to disperse the agitating mob and clear the busy highway for normal traffic.

Before setting up the road block, the protesting mob raised slogans against the IAS officer and his brother-in-law who were allegedly responsible for raising a section of the temple wall. Claiming to be activists from Hindu organisations, the protestors blocked traffic for several hours leading to seemingly endless queues of heavy vehicles, mainly trucks and buses, parked by the roadside. Dubagga crossing happens to be one of the main highway intersections where movement of heavy traffic is not restricted during the day.

The agitated protestors held the blockade for more than two hours even as some of them fell gave up because of the scorching summer sun. They burnt tyres on Lucknow-Hardoi road accusing the district authorities of giving way to communal tension in the area. Additional city magistrate C L Mishra said, "police and district administration personnel tried to control the situation assuring appropriate action against the accused persons and rebuilding the temple wall again."
"But things went out of control, as the group showed stubbornness after which police used force to disperse the mob and clear the road on Sunday evening," he added. Later, police lodged FIR against a mob of unidentified persons accusing them of rioting and wrongful restraint, said circle officer (CO) Chowk deputy superintendent of police Sarvesh Mishra. Additonal force was deployed in the area as precautionary measure, senior police officials said.

On Saturday, principal secretary labour and language department of the state government, Shailesh Krishna, along with his brother-in-law R N Srivastava were booked for allegedly demolishing a temple all in Thakurganj and the incident triggered tension in the area. As per police, the land on which the temple was constructed over 50 years ago, belonged to the accused. The IAS had on Saturday denied allegations of his involvement in demolition of the structure.

Source : Times Of India

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