Security Pulled from Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi Temple Priest After Escalating Tensions

Raju Das, the chief priest of Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi temple, had his security detail removed after an argument with district officials over alleged corruption and BJP's loss in Faizabad. Officials claim Das misused the security to threaten people, while Das maintains he was targeted for exposing corruption.

Raju Das, the influential chief priest of Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi temple, had his security detail withdrawn following a heated argument with district officials. The confrontation took place during a meeting convened by two Uttar Pradesh ministers to review BJP's performance in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which the party lost.

Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar stated that the withdrawal of Das' security was due to multiple complaints accusing the priest of using his security personnel to intimidate traders and the general public. Kumar elaborated that Das has numerous criminal cases against him, which further justified the removal.

Das, on the other hand, accused the district administration of corruption, claiming his security was revoked because he openly criticized officials for their alleged misconduct. He recently met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath but insisted that security concerns were not part of their discussion.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)