Ayodhya: A shocking video from Ayodhya’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Park has sparked outrage after municipal enforcement officials were seen forcing a group of vendors to perform headstands and sit-ups in the scorching sun as punishment for selling puja items outside the Ram Temple.
According to eyewitnesses, eight men were made to do headstands with their legs propped against a wall while uniformed municipal staff, armed with batons, watched and paced nearby. The men were vendors selling religious items along the Ram Path, near the Ram Temple, when the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation launched an anti-encroachment drive and detained them.
The vendors were reportedly taken to the park and subjected to the physical punishment for several hours. Videos of the incident, recorded by bystanders, quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation.
Following the uproar, Ayodhya Municipal Commissioner Jayendra Kumar confirmed that members of the enforcement team were involved and that an internal probe has been initiated. Statements are being collected from the affected vendors, and a report is expected by late Monday evening or early Tuesday morning.
Reacting to the incident, the Congress Party termed the act as “Talibani behaviour” by the Ayodhya civic authorities, alleging it reflects the “dictatorial mindset” of the ruling BJP.
