Jharkhand Police have registered a case against BJP MPs Nishikant Dubey, Manoj Tiwari, and others for allegedly forcing their way into the sanctum sanctorum of Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar on August 2, despite restrictions on VIP entry during the holy month of Shravan.
The FIR, lodged on August 7 following a complaint by temple priest Kartik Nath Thakur, accuses the leaders of entering the inner shrine between 8:45 pm and 9 pm during the ‘kancha jal puja’ ritual, disrupting prayers, and sparking fear among devotees. The complaint also alleges a scuffle with security personnel, creating a stampede-like situation.
Baba Baidyanath Dham, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, draws lakhs of ‘Kanwariyas’ each Shravan, who walk 105 km from Sultanganj, Bihar, to offer Ganga water. This year, over 55 lakh devotees have visited so far.
Police say charges include hurting religious sentiments, obstructing government work, and breaching security protocols. Additional names in the FIR include Kanshikanat Dubey and Sheshadri Dubey.
While Manoj Tiwari has remained silent, Nishikant Dubey posted on X claiming he is being targeted “for worshipping,” adding, “So far, 51 cases have been registered against me. Tomorrow, I will go straight to the police station for my arrest.”
The MPs have faced controversy before — in 2022, both were booked for allegedly forcing Deoghar Airport’s ATC to clear a delayed chartered flight. That case was later quashed by the Supreme Court in January 2025.