PRAYAGRAJ: In order to discourage superstition about coronavirus among villagers, a joint team of police and district administration officials dismantled a “Corona Mata” temple at Juhi Shuklapur village in Pratapgarh late on Friday night.
A probe into the construction of the temple has also been ordered.
IGP (Prayagraj range) KP Singh told TOI that police teams are making efforts to create awareness among people about the virus and convince them that no religious activity will be of any help in fighting it.
The IGP also said that police ordered a probe into the issue after a villager, Nagesh Kumar Srivastava, had submitted an application to Sangipur police station.
Temple came up 3 days agoIn the application he claimed, that his brother Lokesh Kumar, who arrived from Ghaziabad a few days ago, had set up a Corona Mata temple without consulting his family.
Police said the temple came up three days ago and hundreds of villagers started visting to offer prayers.
The villagers believed that the “shadow of Covid-19 will never befall on Shuklapur and adjoining villages” owing to the blessings of Corona Mata.
The temple was built by a group of villagers with donations.
The villagers followed Covid protocols, such as wearing masks and maintaining social distance, while offering prayers at the temple.
The idol too wore a mask.