Communal tensions erupted in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, on January 2 after miscreants reportedly inscribed ‘786’ and ‘Allah’ on the wall of an ancient Durga Mandir near the Ala Hazrat Dargah in the Biharipur area of the city.
As news of the incident spread, several Hindu organizations arrived at the location and staged protests. The police were alerted, and a case was subsequently filed.
The pujari of the Durga temple expressed that the incident had offended the religious sentiments of the local Hindu community. Upon being informed, Circle Officer Pankaj Srivastav arrived at the site, and, according to his instructions, the scribblings were erased, and the temple wall was repainted.
The miscreants have not been identified, as there were no CCTV cameras at the temple entrance. However, the police are reviewing footage from nearby buildings’ CCTV cameras in an effort to track down the culprits.
