An incident occurred near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi on Saturday, which temporarily raised concerns regarding security measures. Security personnel detained a young man near the Annapurna Temple, deeming him suspicious. He was carrying a vegetable cutting knife. Upon receiving information, the police arrived at the scene and took the youth to the Dashashwamedh police station.
During interrogation, the man identified himself as Shahid Jamal Satpokri, a resident of Mughalsarai, Chandawli. According to the police, he works as a porter and also cuts vegetables and meat at weddings. On Saturday morning, he left home on foot looking for work. By ten o'clock in the morning, he had not found a job, had no money in his pocket, and felt very hungry.
Having not found work, the young man asked local residents for directions and made his way to the Annapurna Temple's feeding zone. He hoped to receive free food there and satisfy his hunger. However, security staff noticed the knife he had with him and stopped him, considering him suspicious. The police were then called, and several security agencies began an investigation shortly after.
According to Atul Anjan Tripathi of the Dashashwamedh ASP, the young man was questioned in detail at the station. Records from nearby CCTV cameras were examined, and local information about him was gathered. A team from his place of residence interviewed family members and the village elder.
Given the sensitivity of the case, intelligence units from IB, LIU, ATS, and CRPF participated in the interrogation. In addition to collecting information from local residents, the CDR of his mobile phone was checked. The police also verified his criminal record in the CCTNS and DCRB systems. After the investigation, the police found no contradictory facts that could indicate criminal activity or any conspiracy on the part of the young man. According to the police, he also had no criminal past. Nevertheless, because the incident is related to a highly sensitive area near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the investigation and vigilance continue.
According to the police, the knife found with the young man was intended for cutting vegetables. During questioning, he explained that he works as a harvest helper and cuts vegetables and meat in his free time. He also went out from home on Saturday looking for work in this manner.
On one hand, the young man with the knife arriving in the temple zone became the subject of scrutiny by security personnel; on the other hand, it turned out that he was a worker looking for employment who failed to find a job for several hours and headed to the Annapurna Temple feeding zone when he felt hungry.
At present, the police investigation has revealed no criminal facts regarding the young man. The local team remains on high alert, and the investigation into other aspects continues. The most important aspect of this case is that the young man whose presence caused concern about the safety of the temple complex turned out to be a worker who came to the feeding zone to satisfy his hunger.