UP teen thrashed for entering temple to drink water, 2 arrested

The Uttar Pradesh police have arrested two men accused of thrashing a 14-year-old boy from another community for entering a temple to drink water in Ghaziabad. A video clip of the incident had gone viral and was shared by Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Twitter.

The video showed the victim teenager being asked his and his father’s names and why he had entered the temple. Soon after, the main accused is seen hurling abuses at him and twisting his hand, then slapping and repeatedly kicking his genitals.

The two arrested in this regard are main accused Shringi Nandan Yadav and his associate Shivanand. They were arrested by Ghaziabad Police on Friday night.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani said these type of activities will not be tolerated and warned that such persons will be penalised.

Outside the temple where the incident had taken place, a signboard repeated says that the temple is a holy place for Hindus and Muslims are prohibited from entering it.

An Instagram handle named Hindu Ekta Sangh had initially uploaded this video, but was later taken down. Reports suggest the same account had uploaded another video where the main accused, Yadav, can be seen harassing a man.

Yadav had shifted to Ghaziabad from Bihar over six months ago, according to the police. He used to carry out regular duties at the Dasna Devi Temple in UP’s Ghaziabad. Shivanand, the other accused, is accused of having recorded the video of the incident.

The two men have charged under relevant IPC sections pertaining to intentional insult to provoke peace, causing hurt, assault, and statements conducive to public mischief.