Three individuals were arrested on Sunday for allegedly causing a disturbance and damaging idols at the Gopeshwar Nath temple in the Izatnagar area of UP's Bareilly district, police said. The Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) identified the suspects as Shahrukh, Arshad, and Akram.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning when the accused reached the temple and sabotaged the idols of the Gods and Goddesses, Bhati said, PTI reported.
While two of the suspects managed to run away, Akram was caught and beaten by the crowd before being handed over to the police. Akram was taken to a district hospital and subsequently arrested, Bhati stated.
The police also arrested Shahrukh and Arshad, filing an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including section 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), the ASP added.
Further investigation is ongoing, he also added.
Idols Damaged At Pirana Dargah In Ahmedabad
A similar incident of damaging idols and stone-pelting was reported at the 600-year-old Pirana Dargah in Ahmedabad on May 10, 2024. The arrests were made in connection with clashes that erupted between two groups in Ahmedabad on May 7 night.
Ahmedabad (Rural) Superintendent of Police, Om Prakash Jat, reported that tension arose after accusations from one group that graves and the saint’s mausoleum, known as the Mazhar, had been vandalised.
According to the Hindustan Times, police also stated that stone-pelting and vandalism caused damage to several graves and statues and resulted in minor injuries to about 6 police officers.
The Pir Imamshah Bawa Trust campus, which includes the shrine of the Sufi saint, originally had a shrine for his four grandsons and a granddaughter, a mosque named after him, and a graveyard where the descendants of Pir Imamshah Bawa, known as Saiyeds, are buried.
Historically, the Pirana Dargah has been a place of harmonious worship for both Hindus, who call themselves ‘Satpanthi,’ and Muslims.