On October 13, in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, devotees going to immerse the idol of Maa Durga were attacked by an Islamist mob. During this attack, a Hindu devotee named Ram Gopal Mishra was killed. This immersion yatra is traditional in the area, which had been going on for decades. The yatra was to end at Gauriya Ghat, which has been a center of faith for the Hindus in the vicinity since ancient times.
The OpIndia team reached this Gauriya Ghat and spoke to the priest there, Krishna Kumar Mishra. He told us that this time the immersion was not only dull, but also disappointing compared to every year. Gauriya Ghat is about one and a half kilometers away from the Maharajganj market where the Islamist mob indulged in violence. Immersion of idols of about 18 villages and towns in the vicinity takes place here.
At this place, there is a stream of water flowing from the Saryu river, near which a temple is built. The name of this temple is Nageshwarnath Balaji Temple. After immersion of the idol, the devotees take a bath here and visit the temple and then return to their respective homes. When the OpIndia team reached there, we saw that police was deployed on both sides of the road. We were stopped and questioned.
The ghat remained deserted on the day of immersion
Nageshwarnath Balaji temple priest Krishna Kumar Mishra told us that normally around 50 idols are immersed here every year. However, this year, on the fixed date of immersion on October 13, not a single idol came to the ghat. Generally, people from nearby villages also gather to see the immersion. They also waited for a long time. Meanwhile, it was known that there was an attack in Maharajganj market, so everyone returned to their homes.
Some Idol’ hand was broken and some’s head was broken
Priest Krishna Kumar Mishra tells us that on October 14, a day after the scheduled date of immersion, idols of Maa Durga came to the ghats for immersion. This time the number of idols to be immersed was only 20-25. He said that many of these idols were damaged. Apparently, some had broken hands and some had broken legs. The priest said, “People (attackers) broke them there (Maharajganj market).”
A large number of police force was also accompanying these idols that were immersed at 5 AM, and the number of devotees was negligible. Some priests did come to complete the rituals. 55-year-old priest Mishra further said that he had never seen such a dull immersion in his entire life. He said, “There was no enthusiasm. Just a process and formality was completed.”
The Hindu who eats satvik food accused of extremism
The violence in Bahraich was described by leftist and Islamic media institutions as the result of the violence of Hindus. Pujari Mishra called these allegations baseless. He said that the food habits of Hindus are Satvik. How can they be violent? According to the priest, fanaticism was started by the other side due to which violence broke out. He supported the bulldozer action against the accused.
Pujari Mishra demanded more stringent measures against the attackers. The priest described the police force deployed around his temple as a precautionary security arrangement made by the administration. The Gauriya Ghat, where the idols of Maa Durga were to be immersed, the idols of Lord Ganesha are also immersed there. Every year a fair is held there, in which Hindus from all the villages participate.
Priest Krishna Kumar says that in 1992 as well, the Islamist side had conspired to disrupt the immersion procession. However, there was no loss of life then. In a conversation with OpIndia, some injured elderly devotees also accused the Muslim side of spreading tension in 1992. This time too, they held the Muslim side responsible.
