Police officer suspended for 'misbehaving' with temple priest during rath yatra in UP's Kanpur

Kanpur (UP): The station officer of the Badshahi Naka police station was placed under suspension on Friday for allegedly misbehaving with Mahant Jitendra Das, the priest of the Hanuman temple located in the Panki area of this Uttar Pradesh district, officials said.

The priest had allegedly threatened to set himself on fire if police did not allow the Jagannath Rath Yatra to proceed without removing additional sound systems.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Satyajeet Gupta told reporters that Station Officer (Badshahi Naka) Rajiv Kumar has been put under suspension for allegedly misbehaving with Das and also abusing him.

"We have made an appeal to the mahant, devotees and others to take out the Jagannath Rath Yatra without removing the additional sound systems as it is already delayed and the removal of the additional sound systems will lead to a further delay. A request has also been made to maintain peace and not pay attention to rumours," the DCP said.

As a precautionary measure, reserved police forces and personnel from neighbouring police stations were deployed along the procession route.

"The situation is under control but we are still alert and keeping a close surveillance on the situation. Rumour-mongers will be dealt with sternly," another official said.

Police have launched a probe into the incident, Additional DCP Mahesh Kumar said.

The dispute erupted between police and the priest over the installation of additional sound systems for the procession.

According to local residents, devotees got angry after police asked the organisers of the procession to remove the additional sound systems, following which they sat on a dharna at Nayaganj.

Das told reporters that the SO, along with police personnel from Nayaganj, arrived at the spot and asked them to carry only two speakers with the procession, when they were preparing to take out the Jagannath Rath Yatra at 1 pm.

"When we opposed this, saying no senior official had issued any such instruction, the police personnel misbehaved with us," he said.

Irked by the alleged misbehaviour of the police personnel, supporters of the priest started raising slogans against police. Officials tried to pacify the priest and his supporters, but they were adamant on their demand that the SO should be placed under suspension.

Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Amitabh Bajpai also arrived at the spot with his supporters and they recited the "Hanuman Chalisa" there in protest.

Das walked through the market with folded hands, following which the shopkeepers pulled down their shutters in his support.

The priest gave an ultimatum that if no action was taken against the erring police personnel by 8 pm, he will set himself on fire, which prompted top officials to swing into action.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out around 8 pm, after the SO was suspended. PTI COR NAV RC