A violent clash at the Jotiba Temple in Kolhapur resulted in the booking of priests and devotees after a dispute over a palanquin obstruction during a religious procession, sparking a police investigation.
Ten priests of the Jotiba Temple in Kolhapur and 15 devotees were booked after the two sides clashed, a police official said on Monday.
The priests have been booked for assaulting devotees after a palanquin of the temple faced obstruction on Sunday afternoon, the Kodoli police station official added. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
"Devotees of Karveer village had come to the temple with a 'shashan kathi', a sacred stick used in religious processions. While these devotees were dancing, a palanquin of the temple deity, which was on its way, faced obstruction. When priests tried to stop these devotees from dancing and make way for the palanquin, a clash ensued," the official said.
"The fracas involved devotees manhandling the priests, 10 of whom then hit back. The clash stopped with the intervention of the village head, who submitted a written apology to the temple. A case was registered against 15 devotees and 10 priests under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for affray and other offences," he said.
A notice has been issued to all those named in the case, and further probe is underway, the official said.