📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sumitsurai
Crime
Traffic police assault minor for stopping Toto ride at Mahabodhi Temple, three arrested
✍️ Amar Ujala · Gaya
🗓 19 Sep 2026, 09:00 AM
👁 13
In the restricted precinct of Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, a minor was beaten and threatened by traffic police after being stopped from operating a Toto, resulting in three arrests.
The incident unfolded within the prohibited zone of the Mahabodhi Temple complex in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, when a traffic police constable attempted to stop a minor from driving a small electric cart, commonly known as a Toto. The youngster complied, but the officer allegedly resorted to physical violence and issued threats, prompting a confrontation.
Eyewitnesses reported that the constable struck the child and shouted abusive language, creating a scene that attracted other temple visitors. Local by‑standers intervened, and the police later detained three individuals they identified as participants in the altercation.
Bihar police released a statement confirming that three people have been taken into custody for assaulting the minor and threatening him. An internal inquiry has been launched to determine whether the officer’s actions violated departmental protocols and the temple’s vehicle‑restriction rules.
The Mahabodhi Temple area is a UNESCO‑listed heritage site where motorised vehicles, including Totos, are prohibited to preserve the sanctity and safety of pilgrims. Authorities have repeatedly warned that violations may attract legal action.
The case is being investigated under the state’s criminal procedure code, and the police have pledged to take appropriate disciplinary measures against any officer found culpable.
Eyewitnesses reported that the constable struck the child and shouted abusive language, creating a scene that attracted other temple visitors. Local by‑standers intervened, and the police later detained three individuals they identified as participants in the altercation.
Bihar police released a statement confirming that three people have been taken into custody for assaulting the minor and threatening him. An internal inquiry has been launched to determine whether the officer’s actions violated departmental protocols and the temple’s vehicle‑restriction rules.
The Mahabodhi Temple area is a UNESCO‑listed heritage site where motorised vehicles, including Totos, are prohibited to preserve the sanctity and safety of pilgrims. Authorities have repeatedly warned that violations may attract legal action.
The case is being investigated under the state’s criminal procedure code, and the police have pledged to take appropriate disciplinary measures against any officer found culpable.