Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Mar 11: A priest who was allegedly assaulted by a mob after a photograph of him purportedly consuming non-vegetarian food went viral on social media has been expelled from temple duties, while his current whereabouts remain unknown, officials said on Tuesday.

Santosh Giri, chief priest and mahant of the Baba Shri Bhuteshwar Dham Temple in Keshavpuram, said the person seen in the viral photograph was his son Prashant Giri, also known as Golu Pandit.

“I am the mahant of the temple, not my son. As soon as I came to know that he had eaten non-vegetarian food, I expelled him from service at the temple,” Santosh Giri told reporters.

He alleged that members of a religious procession assaulted his son at the temple. According to him, individuals including Rahul Chandel, Manish Chaudhary and Ajay Chauhan, along with others, attacked Prashant and told him he could no longer remain at the temple.

“When my wife and daughter-in-law tried to protect him, they were also assaulted,” Santosh Giri claimed.

The controversy began after a photograph allegedly showing Prashant Giri eating non-vegetarian food circulated widely online, triggering anger among some local residents.

Police said around 50 to 60 people gathered at the temple on Sunday night demanding an explanation from the priest. When he reportedly hesitated to come out, some members of the crowd allegedly entered the temple premises, dragged him outside and questioned him about the photograph.

During the confrontation, he was allegedly assaulted.

Police later initiated preventive action against Prashant Giri for breach of peace and said the matter is under examination. Authorities added that Prashant Giri had been staying in a room within the temple premises and performing priestly duties there.