Police take protesters into custody for breach of peace, yet order the closure of the stall, raising questions over equal treatment and livelihood rights
ALIGARH — Tension gripped Khereshwar Dham in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh during Maha Shivratri after a group of men claiming to be Karni Sena supporters objected to a Muslim trader running a women’s clothing stall inside the temple complex.
The trader, identified as Armaan, had set up the stall as part of the festive arrangements. According to local police, four to five young men entered the premises on Saturday (14 February) and began protesting against his presence.
Witnesses said the men went to the temple’s lost-and-found centre and started raising objections. They allegedly snatched a microphone from the announcer and publicly opposed the Muslim vendor.
Members of the temple committee reportedly attempted to control the situation, resulting in a brief verbal exchange between them and the protesters.
As the situation grew tense, Lodha police arrived at the spot. Officers detained the protesting youths and took them away in a police vehicle.
Station House Officer Hemant Madi confirmed that action had been taken. He said, “The youths creating disturbance have been booked under preventive sections for breach of peace.”
However, police also directed that Armaan’s stall be closed.
The decision to shut the Muslim trader’s stall has raised concerns among locals.
A shopkeeper present at the site said, “If the protesters were wrong and were detained, why was the stall closed? The man had come to do business during the festival.”
Another resident commented, “There should be one rule for everyone. If someone disturbs peace, action should be against him — not against the person earning his livelihood.”
Armaan has not issued a formal statement, but people close to him said he was “upset and shaken” by the incident.
In recent years, similar disputes have arisen in parts of Uttar Pradesh, where Muslim traders have faced objections when setting up stalls near religious events.
A social activist in Aligarh said, “Selling clothes is not a crime. If permissions were granted, then identity should not become an issue.”
He added, “Small traders often depend on festival sales. Closing a stall midway causes financial loss.”
Police officials maintained that their primary aim was to prevent escalation.
An officer said on condition of anonymity, “Our first responsibility was to control the situation and prevent communal tension. Preventive action was taken.”
When asked about the closure of the stall, the officer said, “It was done to maintain peace at the site.”
The incident has once again raised debate about equal access to public spaces and economic activity.
A local advocate said, “The law does not prohibit a citizen from doing business based on religion. If there was a valid permit, shutting the stall should be properly explained.”
For now, calm has returned to Khereshwar Dham, but the episode has left behind questions about how such disputes should be handled — and whether minority traders can operate freely without facing public objections during religious events.
