Day After Blaming Muslim Men, UP Priest Confesses Breaking Ganesh Idol, Fabricating False Case (Photo @zoo_bear)
After hours of tension loomed in Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district over breaking a Ganesh idol and falsely blaming two Muslim men, a Hindu priest has been found guilty of the act, calming down the communal flames of the outraged residents.
The priest, Krich Ram, on July 16, filed a police complaint at Kathela Samaymata police station, alleging that two Muslim men, Mannan and Sonu, dismantled the Ganesh idol. The priest also accused the Muslim men of threatening him to cease his religious activities and assaulting his wife.
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Acting upon the complaint filed by the priest, local police rushed to arrest the two men, and charged them with inflicting harm and defiling a place of worship. However, the investigation later revealed that it was the priest himself who broke the idol to fabricate fake allegations against Mannan and Sonu due to his prior rivalry towards them.
The police, after reaching the spot, talked with witnesses and took testimonies of the children between 8 and 10 years old, who helped the officials unfold the truth. The police, based on the testimonies, interrogated the priest, leading to his confession to the crime. According to a report by Vartha Bharati, the priest had planned to fabricate a case due to his previous dispute with Mannan and Sonu. Citing the Deputy Superintendent of Police Darvesh Kumar, the media house reported that legal action is being pursued against the priest for his false accusations against the two men.
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Taking to his social media platform X, fact-checker, Muhammed Zubair wrote, “A Temple Poojari Kricharam filed a police complaint blaming two Muslim boys Munna and Sonu for breaking Ganesh Idol inside a temple at SiddharthNagar District, UP. During the Police interrogation, It was found that the Poojari himself broke the Ganesh Idol and blamed it on Muslim boys.”
Zubair also shared the images of broker Ganesh idols and the statement from the police.
A Temple Poojari Kricharam filed a police complaint blaming two Muslim boys Munna and Sonu for breaking Ganesh Idol inside a temple at SiddharthNagar District, UP.
During the Police interrogation, It was found that the Poojari himself broke the Ganesh Idol and blamed it on… pic.twitter.com/1WlZ732u4G
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) July 18, 2024
Similar occurrences have happened in the past also where members of the right-wing groups weaponised religious identities to avenge their personal rivals, causing larger tensions.
