Mumbai woman devotee alleges assault at Mahakal temple:Pushed out by security, accused of ruckus inside shrine; both sides lodge complaints

A case of alleged assault on a woman devotee from Mumbai has surfaced at the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. The woman, who had come for darshan, alleged that temple security personnel pushed her out of the temple. During the incident, she was seen crying and shouting. People present at the spot kept recording videos. Security staff and police personnel deployed there also pushed out other devotees who were standing with the woman and then shut the gate. A video of the incident has since surfaced on social media. After the incident, the temple committee submitted an application at the police station, accusing the woman of creating a ruckus inside the temple and assaulting security personnel. The incident took place at around 10 pm on Thursday night. Woman said – Guard pushed forward by putting hand on shoulder These days, a large number of devotees are arriving at the Mahakal temple for darshan, leading to a rise in disputes between security staff and pilgrims. Reshma Sonawane, who had come from Mumbai along with three female friends, was standing in the darshan queue. The woman alleged that during darshan inside the tunnel near the Silver Palanquin Gate, male guards were pushing devotees forward by placing their hands on women’s shoulders. When she objected, a female guard was called, after which she was assaulted. She claimed that four male guards were also involved in the assault. During the scuffle, some other devotees were also pushed out of the temple, following which the gate was closed. The situation turned chaotic. Several devotees appeared angry over the alleged assault on the woman and accused security staff of using force. Woman said – Could not have darshan, returning with a bad experience The woman devotee from Mumbai submitted a complaint at the Mahakal police station regarding the assault. She alleged that around eight people beat her and said she could not have darshan at the temple and was returning with a very bad experience. Meanwhile, a female security guard also filed a complaint at the Mahakal police station against the woman devotee. The guard claimed that the devotee was blocking the queue and started an argument when asked to move ahead. During the altercation, a scuffle broke out. She further alleged that when asked to step out, the devotee grabbed her by the neck and attacked her with her nails, injuring some guards. At present, complaints from both sides have been registered at the Mahakal police station. It has also been reported that a female security guard was injured in the incident.