📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Biswarup Ganguly
Religion
Priest refuses to abandon temple amid Chitrakoot floods, DM and SP appeal
✍️ Amar Ujala · Rewa
🗓 01 Sep 2026, 07:03 PM
👁 32
During severe flooding in Chitrakoot, a temple priest declined to leave his shrine, prompting the district magistrate and superintendent of police to plead with him to evacuate.
Heavy rains have caused the river waters to swell, inundating large parts of Chitrakoot district in Madhya Pradesh. Local authorities have issued evacuation orders for low‑lying areas as floodwaters continue to rise.
Despite the official warnings, the priest of a historic temple in the town said he would not abandon the sanctum, citing his religious duty to protect the deity and the shrine. He remained inside the temple compound even as water levels approached the outer walls.
District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) visited the site, folded their hands and appealed to the priest, urging him to prioritize his own safety and that of his family. They warned that staying could endanger his life and asked him to cooperate with rescue teams.
The officials reiterated that relief operations are underway and that evacuation routes are being cleared for residents. They emphasized that religious devotion should not come at the cost of personal safety during the ongoing disaster.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, coordinating with the state disaster management force to provide assistance to affected communities across Chitrakoot.
Despite the official warnings, the priest of a historic temple in the town said he would not abandon the sanctum, citing his religious duty to protect the deity and the shrine. He remained inside the temple compound even as water levels approached the outer walls.
District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) visited the site, folded their hands and appealed to the priest, urging him to prioritize his own safety and that of his family. They warned that staying could endanger his life and asked him to cooperate with rescue teams.
The officials reiterated that relief operations are underway and that evacuation routes are being cleared for residents. They emphasized that religious devotion should not come at the cost of personal safety during the ongoing disaster.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, coordinating with the state disaster management force to provide assistance to affected communities across Chitrakoot.