On Sunday, 20th October, Sadrpur police in Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh, arrested a man identified as Shamsad, son of Hadees from Khurwal, for spitting pan masala on idols inside a Hindu temple. As per a Live Hindustan report [archive link], the police have claimed that Shamsad is ‘mentally disturbed’ and undergoing treatment at King George Medical College. The accused was arrested for temple vandalism and the challan was sent to the Sitapur court by the police.
Reportedly, on Sunday afternoon, Shamsad entered the temple situated at the main crossroads in Sadrpur and spat pan masala [archive link] on the idols inside the temple. When devotees present in the temple confronted him, he responded with threats and abusive language, even warning the devotees of dire consequences.
The incident of temple vandalism angered the locals in Sadrpur, district Sitapur, and they began protesting. The police rushed to the temple after learning about the incident and took Shamsad into custody. Speaking to the media, acting station in-charge Dilip Singh said that the accused is mentally disturbed and undergoing treatment. He added that the investigation into the matter is underway and the police are questioning the accused.
OpIndia tried contacting the concerned police station to get more information on the matter but could not connect. This report will be updated when more details emerge.
