New Delhi: In Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur, a mob has allegedly assaulted a temple priest. It took place after a photograph purportedly showing the priest eating non-vegetarian food at a restaurant became viral.
Priest beaten as women tried to save him
The incident happened on late Sunday night at the Bhuteshwar Temple when around 50–60 people reportedly gathered there and accused the priest of hurting religious sentiments. According to some videos on the social media, the crowd chased and assaulted the priest as he begged for mercy.
Several women present at the temple tried to save him, urging people to stop the assault. However, some members of the enraged mob allegedly slapped the women for trying to save the priest. The victim, identified as Prashant Giri or Golu Pandit, is a priest of the temple and lives in a room within the temple premises.
यूपी – कानपुर में मंदिर के महंत प्रशांत गिरी उर्फ गोलू पंडित। ये तस्वीर 2 दिन पहले वायरल हुई, जिसमें दावा किया गया है कि वो रेस्टोरेंट में बैठकर मांस खा रहे थे। ये तस्वीर देखकर मंदिर से जुड़े लोगों की भावनाएं आहत हुईं और महंत की पिटाई कर दी। https://t.co/SR3M1IBqeu pic.twitter.com/3agXjIwneu
— Sachin Gupta (@SachinGuptaUP) March 9, 2026
Police complaint filed, probe underway
The mob reportedly beat him up after dragging him out of his room. As he fell on the ground, people continued to mercilessly thrash him. Some women sat around him to protect him, but the mob allegedly slapped and pushed them away. Police reached the spot after being informed through Dial 112. They saved the priest from the crowd and took him to the police station.
The injured priest has filed a complaint alleging the viral photograph had been edited to defame him. He pointed to a conspiracy to remove him from the temple, and hence, perpetrators took an old photo of him at a restaurant and edited it to show non-vegetarian food. The police are examining the viral video to identify those involved in the assault and are probing the incident.