Women Clash with Police During Puja Attempt at Disputed Mausoleum in UP’s Fatehpur
Tension flared in Fatehpur after women tried to perform puja at a site claimed by both Hindu and Muslim groups amid ongoing litigation.
Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh): Tension gripped Fatehpur district on Wednesday evening after a group of women clashed with police while attempting to perform puja at the disputed Maangi mausoleum in the Abu Nagar area on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.
The site, known locally as Maqbara Maangi, is believed to be the 200-year-old resting place of Nawab Abdus Samad Khan. However, several Hindu groups claim it to be the “Siddhpeeth Thakur Ji Temple,” pointing to carvings of tridents and floral motifs on the structure.
The dispute over the site has been simmering for months. In August, members of Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) allegedly entered the premises, hoisted saffron flags, and vandalised parts of the structure — an incident that deepened communal tension in the area.
According to police, around 20 women carrying diyas and other prayer materials gathered at the barricaded site on Wednesday evening. Despite warnings, some of them tried to cross or remove the barricades, prompting police intervention.
The situation quickly escalated into a heated confrontation. The women accused the police of misbehaviour and claimed they were stopped from performing their religious rituals. “Is it a sin to do puja?” one woman asked reporters, alleging that officers had “beaten three women and misbehaved with us.”
Unable to access the disputed site, the group later performed aarti from a nearby lane facing the mausoleum.
Police said a case has been registered at the Kotwali police station under Sections 121(1) (obstructing or assaulting a public servant), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 352 (use of criminal force) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). The FIR, based on a complaint by Constable Manju Singh, names 20 unidentified women, including the wife of a local resident, Pappu Singh Chauhan.
No arrests have been made so far, officials confirmed.
Source: Maktoob Media
