Kolkata: Hindu devotees gathered to offer prayers at the famous Bhootnath temple in the Beniatola area of West Bengal's capital Kolkata were pelted with sticks by the police on Monday (August 16, 2021). Though most of the temples in the state have been opened, the Bhootnath temple is still closed in the name of 'corona restrictions.' The Bhootnath temple is of great importance to Hindu religious leaders in the month of Sawan. Devotees from Kolkata and its surrounding areas come to the temple every Monday. Now that the temple is closed, devotees are praying from outside the temple gate.

In front of the Bhootnath temple, the devotees of Shiva were brutally beaten by the Kolkata police.

Is this what the devotees of Shiva deserve?

Mamata Banerjee's reign in Bengal serves as a microcosm of the Taliban rule! Shame! pic.twitter.com/XSAO9SwD35

? BJP Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) August 16, 2021

When devotees reached the temple on Monday to pray, they were brutally beaten up by the policemen. Two persons were also seen beating up a devotee in a civil dress. The video of the incident is going viral on social media which has been shared by the Bengal BJP unit on Twitter. The BJP has written, "Devotees of Lord Shiva were brutally beaten up by Kolkata police in front of Bhootnath temple. Do Shiva devotees possess such behavior? Mamata Banerjee's rule in Bengal is a small form of Taliban rule. Shameful.''

Shocking and barbaric!

The @KolkataPolice is mercilessly beating the Shiva Devotees in front of Kolkata's Bhootnath Temple and it is really a painful sight to watch.

Is this what these innocent devotees deserve?

Bengal saw another form of Taliban rule under @MamataOfficial . pic.twitter.com/xT9mOydGEi

? Ritesh Tiwari (@IamRiteshTiwari) August 16, 2021

Bengal BJP Vice President Ritesh Tiwari termed the incident as cruel and said Kolkata police is brutally beating Shiva devotees in front of Bhootnath temple, which is a heart-rending incident. Tiwari has compared law and order to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan during CM Mamata Banerjee's regime.

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