Deoria: A dramatic confrontation unfolded in Deoria on Tuesday after the chief priest of a prominent Hanuman temple accused Uttar Pradesh Minister Vijay Lakshmi Gautam of encroaching upon the temple’s land. The minister has strongly denied the allegations, terming them an attempt to malign her image.
Mahant Rajesh Narayan Das, the temple’s chief priest, staged a sit-in outside the shrine, alleging that a forged sale deed was used to capture the western portion of the temple premises. He further claimed that despite repeated complaints, the district administration failed to take action due to political pressure. Calling the incident a direct threat to the sanctity of the religious site, the mahant urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to intervene and order a special probe to safeguard the temple property.
The situation escalated enough to draw the presence of Joint Magistrate Shruti Sharma and Circle Officer Sanjay Reddy, who reached the protest site and assured the mahant of a fair inquiry. Following their assurance, the priest called off his protest.
Minister Vijay Lakshmi Gautam, however, dismissed the allegations outright. Speaking to PTI, she asserted that an official revenue survey had earlier confirmed there was no encroachment on the temple land. She clarified that a gate was installed on land legally belonging to her and stressed that no portion of the temple property was disturbed.
