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Kolhapur Temple Scuffle: CCTV Footage Sparks Controversy
17 Oct
Summary
- A temple attendant was accused of manhandling devotees at Kolhapur's Mahalaxmi temple.
- CCTV footage of the incident was circulated on social media with misleading captions.
- Priests are seeking action against the circulation of false information and footage leaks.
A non-cognisable offence has been registered against Priya Joshi, a temple attendant at Kolhapur's Mahalaxmi temple. This action follows allegations by a group of women who claimed she manhandled them on Friday while directing them to vacate Kasav Chowk. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras.
The complainants stated that Joshi approached them aggressively, shouted, and pushed devotees. An argument escalated into a scuffle when some women objected to her conduct. During the altercation, one devotee allegedly struck another. One devotee claimed her child's hearing aid was damaged and that the attendant slapped the child.
Meanwhile, the circulation of the incident's CCTV footage on social media has triggered a parallel controversy. Temple priests assert that the footage is being shared with false captions, misidentifying the attendant. They have appealed to the district administration for action against those circulating the misleading video.
Temple priest Ajit Thanekar noted that the footage showed women pushing each other and that they were not family members of the priest community. He also raised concerns about the security implications of internal CCTV footage leaks, especially with ongoing surveillance upgrades. Thanekar called for legal action against those who circulated the footage and any temple employee involved in its leakage.
