Kurukshetra Priest Assault Case: Dargah, Accused Caretaker’s House Partially Demolished Amid Heavy Police Presence

July 13, 2026

Kurukshetra: Authorities on Monday carried out a demolition drive in Adhoni village of Haryana’s Kurukshetra district, razing a portion of a dargah and demolishing part of the house of the main accused in the recent assault on a Shiva temple priest. The action was conducted jointly by the police and the revenue department amid heavy security deployment.

The demolition targeted the residence of Pankaj, a caretaker (sevadar) at the dargah and the prime accused in the July 9 attack on 74-year-old priest Yogiraj Giri. According to police, Pankaj allegedly assaulted the priest and dragged him along a village road after wrapping a cloth around his neck. The priest suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured leg, and is undergoing treatment at LNJP Hospital.

Demolition Carried Out Over Encroachment

Officials said the demolition was part of an anti-encroachment drive based on an earlier demarcation conducted by the revenue department.

According to village Sarpanch Paramjit Singh, a complaint regarding illegal encroachments on government pathways had been submitted in 2023. During the survey, authorities found that around 3.4 feet of the dargah and about seven feet of a corner wall of Pankaj’s house had encroached on government land.

The administration demolished the encroaching portions of both structures. Officials said action is also planned against 16 other encroachments identified during the survey.

Family Protests Demolition

During the operation, Pankaj’s mother, Paramjit, protested the demolition and questioned why action was being taken only against their property.

She alleged that several illegal encroachments exist across the village and demanded that the administration remove all such structures equally. She also expressed concern about her family’s future, saying the house was home to small children.

Responding to the allegations against her son, she claimed that her daughter-in-law was not involved in the assault and had merely handed Pankaj a stick after believing a snake had entered the dargah.

Investigation Continues

The incident has triggered tension in the village, with members of the Sadhu community earlier announcing plans to gather on Wednesday to demand the removal of the dargah. Following Monday’s demolition, local leaders are expected to review their next course of action.

Meanwhile, Pankaj, who was in police custody, reportedly sustained a fractured leg after allegedly attempting to escape while assisting police in the search for another accused. He is receiving treatment under police supervision.

Police have also arrested another accused, Indra, while Manpreet Kaur, the wife of the main accused, has been sent to judicial custody.

The investigation into the priest assault case is ongoing.