MP: B’luru man held for trying to enter Mahakaleshwar temple using some other man’s ID card

Ujjain/Bengaluru: Police on Wednesday arrested a 24-year-old Muslim man for trying to enter the city-based famous Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country, using the identity card of some other man, an official said.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Wednesday, when the man, identified as Mohammed Younus, a resident of Bengaluru, tried to gain entry into the temple during the ‘bhasma aarti’, a two-hour ritual performed at 4 am everyday, the official said.

City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Pallavi Shukla said that the man had procured the pass for the ‘bhasma aarti’ using the Aadhaar card of one Abhishek Dubey.

“However, the picture on the ID didn’t match with his appearance. Later, the security personnel also checked the biometrics of the man, which also didn’t match with those on the card,” she said.

On being searched by the security personnel, he was found carrying another ID proof with his original name Mohammed Younus mentioned on it, she said.

Shukla said that he came along with his woman friend, identified as Khushbu Yadav, who had allegedly arranged the ID of another person for Younus.

Meanwhile, Mahakal police station in-charge Munendra Gautam said he accused was arrested under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 419 (personation) and 420 (cheating) on a complaint of temple management committee.

According to Gautam, the man said that he was at the temple to give company to his woman friend. Further investigation into the case is underway, he said.