Etawah: Community Divided Over Mistreatment of Religious Storytellers; Four Arrested, New Allegations Surface

Tensions continue to escalate in Etawah’s Dandarpur village following the recent mistreatment of two religious storytellers (kathavachaks), with the local community now split into two opposing factions. The controversy refuses to die down as authorities intensify their investigation and take decisive action.

Arrests and FIRs

So far, four individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. In a new development, both kathavachaks—Mukutmani Yadav and Sant Singh Yadav—have also had cases registered against them. They are accused of forging Aadhaar cards and concealing their caste identities to commit fraud. Police reportedly found fake Aadhaar cards in their possession, leading to the filing of an FIR.

Viral Video and Caste Controversy

A video related to the case has surfaced on social media. In the footage, villagers can be seen questioning the kathavachaks about their caste. The storytellers appear hesitant and avoid answering directly, but eventually disclose their caste after persistent questioning. The villagers claim that if the storytellers had revealed their true caste from the beginning, the situation might have been avoided. Instead, they allege, the kathavachaks falsely identified themselves as Brahmins and presented Aadhaar cards listing “Agnihotri” as their surname.

Incident Details

The incident occurred on June 21st, when Mukutmani Yadav and Sant Singh Yadav visited Dandarpur village to recite the Bhagwat Katha. Following accusations of concealing their caste, the villagers forcibly cut off the storytellers’ hair and shaved their heads—a video of which quickly went viral online. Four accused villagers have since been arrested and sent to jail.

Fresh Allegations

In a further twist, a local woman has accused the two kathavachaks of harassment. Police are currently investigating these new allegations.

Ongoing Investigation

The situation remains tense in the village as authorities continue their probe. The administration has assured that all developments will be thoroughly investigated and action will be taken as per the law.

Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.