At temples, it’s common to see large crowds of devotees eager for a glimpse of the deity and to receive Prasad. However, before entering the temple, many devotees also has to deal with aggressive shopkeepers stationed outside who try to forcibly sell them Prasad.
Recently, a violent altercation broke out at the Chandrika Devi Temple in Lucknow over such a dispute. The clash reportedly occurred when devotees were pressured by shopkeepers to buy Prasad. When the devotees refused, an argument ensued and quickly escalated into a physical fight. The video of the incident has since gone viral on social media.
Shopkeepers chased and beat up devotees at Chandrika Devi Mandi in Lucknow, Shopkeepers beat them up when they refused to buy prasad from the shop
pic.twitter.com/ghwv0GOl7b— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) April 7, 2025
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The chaos unfolded on Sunday at the temple, located in the Bakshi Talab police station area. Eyewitnesses allege that shopkeepers not only forced devotees to buy Prasad, but also beat them when they protested—including women, who were allegedly misbehaved with and physically assaulted.
The video, shared by an account named @gharkekalesh, has garnered over 361K views. Social media users have reacted strongly. One commented, “If you’re going to a temple, you should carry your own Prasad. Fighting isn’t right.” Another wrote, “Business is tough these days,” while a third noted, “Hindus aren’t even safe in their own temples.”
