A temple priest in Kanpur was allegedly assaulted by a mob after a photograph purportedly showing him eating non-vegetarian food at a restaurant went viral on social media, triggering outrage among locals. The incident took place late Sunday night at the Bhuteshwar Temple located in Keshavpuram area of Rawatpur. According to reports, around 50–60 people gathered at the temple after the image surfaced online and accused the priest of hurting religious sentiments.
Videos circulating on social media show the crowd chasing and assaulting the priest as he pleaded for mercy. Several women present at the temple attempted to intervene and shield him from the mob, urging people to stop the assault. However, some members of the crowd allegedly slapped the women as well while continuing to attack the priest.The priest, identified as Prashant Giri, also known as Golu Pandit, serves as the mahant and priest of the temple and lives in a room within the temple premises.
Locals reportedly dragged him out of his room and beat him, eventually knocking him to the ground while continuing the assault. Witnesses said a few women sat around him in an attempt to protect him, but the mob allegedly continued to slap and push them.
Police were alerted through Dial 112 and rushed to the spot. Officers managed to rescue the priest from the crowd and took him to the police station.In his complaint, the injured priest claimed the viral photograph had been edited to defame him, alleging that some people were conspiring to remove him from the temple. He said an old photo taken at a restaurant had been manipulated to show non-vegetarian food.Rawatpur SHO Kamlesh Rai said police have secured the priest and are examining the viral video to identify those involved in the assault. Further investigation is underway based on the priest’s complaint.