UP Station Officer Suspended After Priest Threatens To Set Himself On Fire

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.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Satyajeet Gupta told reporters that Station Officer Rajiv Kumar of Badshahi Naka has been suspended for allegedly misbehaving with and abusing Mahant Jitendra Das.

The DCP further added that they had appealed to the mahant, devotees, and others to carry out the Jagannath Rath Yatra without removing the additional sound systems, as it was already delayed and their removal would have caused further delay. He also said a request had been made to maintain peace and not pay attention to rumours.

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.

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.

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

The dispute between the police and the priest erupted over the installation of additional sound systems for the procession. According to local residents, tensions rose after police asked the organisers to remove the extra sound systems, prompting angry devotees to stage a dharna at Nayaganj.

Das told reporters that the Station Officer, accompanied by police personnel from Nayaganj, arrived at the spot around 1 pm, just as they were preparing to begin the Jagannath Rath Yatra and instructed them to use only two speakers for the procession.

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

Angered by the alleged misbehaviour of the police personnel, the priest's supporters began raising slogans against the police. Officials attempted to pacify the priest and his followers, but they remained firm in their demand for the suspension of the Station Officer.

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

Das then walked through the market with folded hands, prompting shopkeepers to shut their shops in a show of solidarity.

The priest gave an ultimatum that if no action was taken against the erring police personnel by 8 pm, he would 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.