Chaos broke out at the renowned Radhavallabh Temple in Vrindavan on Monday morning when two groups of devotees clashed inside the temple premises amid heavy rush for darshan. The incident occurred during the start of the traditional Khichdi Utsav, drawing a large number of pilgrims from across the country and abroad.
As the temple gates opened for Mangala Aarti, the courtyard was packed with devotees eager to catch a glimpse of the deity. According to eyewitnesses, the swelling crowd led to pushing and jostling during the aarti. What began as a verbal argument between two groups soon escalated into a physical altercation.
Within moments, punches and kicks were exchanged in the temple courtyard, triggering panic among other devotees. Several worshippers attempted to intervene and restore calm, but the agitated individuals continued fighting, disregarding the sanctity of the temple. The sudden violence caused chaos, forcing many devotees to move away in fear.
The incident angered local residents and other worshippers present at the site. After being sternly reprimanded by locals for violating the temple’s decorum, both groups fled the scene.
Videos of the clash have since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism and raising concerns over crowd management and security arrangements at the temple. Devotees have strongly condemned the incident, stating that such unruly behaviour tarnishes the sanctity and dignity of Vrindavan, a revered religious city.
The incident has also put the temple administration under scrutiny, with calls for stricter security measures to prevent similar disturbances in the future.
