A viral post on social media claimed that two Bangladeshis brutally assaulted a temple priest in Vrindavan City in Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh.
The disturbing post alleged that two of the assailants were Bangladeshis while the remaining accused are outsiders who are now absconding. Another Facebook post on the matter alleged that the attack was instigated by Muslims.
However, according to the Local Police of the Matura district, it was confirmed that the news was false, and that the attack was a result of an internal dispute.
Sanjeev Kumar, Station House Officer of Vrindavan Police Station said that none of the accused were Muslims and while one of the accused was being questioned, others are currently absconding.
Mathura Police also tweeted about the incident in Hindi, which on translation reads as follows:
“We want to inform you that a false message is being shared on Twitter and Facebook accounts from the district.
The message says, Vrindavan Priest brutally assaulted. The head of Imlitala temple in Vrindavan, UP, a Vaishnav Saint and one Tamal Krishna Das were brutally assaulted by the goons. While two of the assailants were Bangladeshis, the others were outsiders. All the accused are absconding.
But the facts are, at 5:30 pm on 11th May 2020, there was a dispute between the followers of the current president of the Imlitala Gaudiya Matt- BP Sadhu and the former president of the matt- Tamal Das. Govinda, Sachhidanand and a security guard Govind Singh, the followers of BP Sadhu, attacked and man handled TamalDas over the unlocking of a library.
Tamal Das received severe injuries and had been admitted to the district hospital in Mathura for treatment.
The main accused, Sachhidanand, has been detained by the Police officers and is being questioned. We will take immediate action once FIR is lodge.”
FactCheck:
Station House Officer of Vrindavan Police Station, Sanjeev Kumar said that all social mediaposts in relation to the matter are fake.
He confirmed that the incident has no Hindu-Muslim angle to it.
Those involved in the incident are priests of the same Imlitala Mutt and are Vaishnav Saints except the Security Guard, Govind Singh, who is a Hindu local.
As per confirmed sources, the followers of the current president and the ex-president of the Imlitala Mutt had entered a fight over the opening of a locked room in the mutt.
It was after being removed from the position of president of the Mutt four years ago that Tamal Krishna Das had started putting locks on the rooms of the mutt.
He attempted to do the same on 11th May 2020, but when the guard came to open the door, Tamal Krishna Das stopped him. The Guard then informed this to another accused (Govinda).
A tussle ensued over this and the priest was punched by one of the accused.
No FIR has lodged by Tamal Krishna Das and thereby no arrests have been made out yet, however, one of the accused named Sachhidanand has been taken in for interrogation.
Mathura Police has denied any Communal angle in the incident.
