Dalit youth allegedly assaulted for 'offering water' on shivling in UP

A Dalit youth was reportedly assaulted for offering water on a Shivling at the Lodheshwar Mahadev temple in Lodhaura village, located in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district.

The incident took place on Wednesday and a video said to be from the scene has circulated widely on social media.

As per reports, the youth, Shailendra Pratap, alleged that the temple priest, Aditya Tiwari, used caste-based slurs against him and physically attacked him.

Shailendra claimed he was stopped while worshipping, and was then beaten by the priest and his son, resulting in serious injuries. He was initially treated locally and later referred to the district hospital and then to a hospital in Lucknow for further care, Free Press Journal reported.

In response, priest Aditya Tiwari denied the allegations of casteist abuse, asserting that the youth had made inappropriate remarks about his son and daughter-in-law, and that he had only stepped in to address the situation.

He also pointed out that a majority of the temple’s staff—around 80 per cent—belong to the Dalit community, and many of them are responsible for temple decorations and other duties.

Ramnagar police station in-charge Anil Pandey stated that early investigations have not found evidence supporting the claim of caste-based abuse.

He noted that other members of Shailendra's family also regularly visit the temple for worship. The investigation is still underway, and further action will be taken based on its findings.