Uttarakhand Agastyamuni palanquin dispute: DM Prateek Jain present at the scene, says action will be taken against those who damaged government property

On the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti, the palanquin of Sage Agastya caused a major commotion on the Kedarnath highway in Augustmuni. The palanquin was supposed to travel from the temple to the Agastya Rishi grounds in Augustmuni, where hundreds of devotees were waiting for it. However, the gate to the grounds was locked from above, preventing the palanquin from entering. Enraged devotees then broke down the gate themselves, after which the palanquin finally entered.

Palanquin Refuses Entry at Augustmuni
It is noteworthy that the palanquin procession of Sage Agastya was being held after 15 years. On Wednesday, the palanquin had refused to enter the Augustmuni grounds because the main gate was not opened. On Thursday, the palanquin arrived again to enter the grounds, but was unable to do so because the gate remained closed. This further angered the devotees. Following this, local people climbed the wall and broke down the gate with hammers. Men and women were both seen participating in breaking down the gate.

Locals Have Been Protesting for a Long Time
Officials of the palanquin committee said that the administration had been informed about this matter beforehand, but the administration took no action. The government is constructing a stadium on these grounds, which the Agastya Rishi temple committee and the local people have been protesting against for a long time. The people believe that this land belongs to the Agastya Rishi temple. A ​​sit-in protest has been ongoing here for a considerable period.

Palanquin Enters After Gate is Broken
After hours of struggle, the angry devotees broke down the gate. Following this, the palanquin of Muni Maharaj entered the grounds. Thousands of devotees also entered the grounds after the gate was broken. The traffic jam on the Kedarnath highway, which had lasted for three hours, was then cleared. It is worth mentioning that there was a heated argument between the administration and the devotees when the palanquin was unable to proceed.