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SI, three other policemen attacked by panda at Vindhyachal temple in Mirzapur

Varanasi: Sub-inspector Ravikant Mishra suffered grave head injuries while three other policemen were also injured when a panda (priest) Amit Pandey attacked them inside Vindhyachal temple premises in Mirzapur district on Wednesday late night.

The incident occurred when the police had gone to catch Pandey after he had attacked another priest in a dispute over recording a video clip inside the temple premises.



After attacking the policemen, Pandey allegedly injured himself. Police rushed him to a hospital under their custody. Later, the officials of Mirzapur administration and police held a meeting with Vindhya Panda Samaj and banned the use of mobile phones and cameras inside sanctum sanctorum of Vindhyachal temple.

ASP (city) Mirzapur Sanjay Kumar said that on Wednesday late night, priest Vishwanath alias Visshu filed a complaint with Vindhyachal police station alleging that Pandey thrashed him when he was performing aarti of his shift inside sanctum sanctorum of the temple. To investigate the matter, SO Ravikant Mishra reached the spot after which Pandey locked himself inside Radha-Krishna temple in the main temple premises, said the ASP adding that after sometime ha suddenly came out and attacked Mishra with a stick.

Mishra suffered grave head injury, said Kumar adding that when the temple security policemen including SI Sribhagwan, constables- Deep Narain and Santosh tried to intervene, Pandey also attacked them. When more cops rushed to stop him, Pandey started hitting his head against grills injuring himself said Kumar.

All injured were rushed to divisional hospital in Mirzapur city, where Mishra was admitted in a critical condition while other policemen were discharged after first aid. Kumar said that family members of Pandey, who is already accused in 16 criminal cases, requested the police to take him to Varanasi for better treatment hence they were allowed to him to a hospital under police custody.

On Thursday afternoon, city magistrate Jagdamba Prasad and Kumar held a meeting with VPS president Pankaj Dwivedi and other office bearers during which they unanimously decided to ban photography inside temples sanctum sanctorum, the cause of dispute between the two priests.

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