Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarians, Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari, along with several associates, have been booked for allegedly forcibly entering the sanctum sanctorum of the revered Baba Baidyanath Temple on August 2, in violation of restrictions imposed during the holy month of Shravan.
According to the complaint lodged by the temple priest, the leaders entered the inner shrine between 8:45 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., during the sacred ‘kancha jal puja’ ritual, despite a ban on VIP and VVIP entry in view of the large crowds. The entry allegedly led to disruptions in prayers and a scuffle with police personnel deployed for crowd control. Authorities say the incident caused panic among thousands of devotees and created a stampede-like situation.
FIR details and allegations
The FIR, registered at the Baba Baidyanath Mandir Police Station on August 7, names Nishikant Dubey, Manoj Tiwari, Kanshikanat Dubey, Sheshadri Dubey, and others. The charges include:
- Hurting religious traditions and sentiments
- Obstructing government work
- Engaging in a scuffle with security personnel
A police officer told PTI that the leaders “entered the inner shrine despite clear restrictions” and “caused disruption during peak pilgrimage hours.”
Leaders respond
While Manoj Tiwari has not issued a public statement, Nishikant Dubey took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the FIR politically motivated.
“This case has been registered for worshipping… So far 51 cases have been registered against me. Tomorrow, I will go straight to the police station from Deoghar airport for my arrest,” Dubey posted.
Shravan mela context
The Shravan Mela, a month-long religious festival, draws lakhs of Kanwariyas from across India. Devotees carry holy Ganga water from Sultanganj in Bihar and walk nearly 105 kilometres to offer it at the Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas in Hindu tradition.
This year alone, officials estimate that around 55 lakh devotees have visited the temple during Shravan. Given the massive footfall, temple authorities had suspended VIP entries to avoid congestion and ensure smooth darshan for the public.
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