A video is being shared on social media claiming that a Muslim man entered the ancient Chintamani Ganesh Temple in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, armed with a sword and attempted to kill the temple priest. The viral video showed the accused man wielding a sword and attempting to assault the priest and another associate.
Sharing the video, a user named Jitendra Pratap Singh wrote, ‘This is India’s so-called frightened and persecuted Muslim. A Muslim entered the ancient Chintamani Ganesh Temple in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, with a sword and tried to kill the temple priest. Dr Mohan Yadav is sleeping while Hindu temples and priests are being openly attacked.’
Many other users have also shared this video with similar claims, which can be seen here and here.
Fact Check:
DFRAC’s team, after investigating the viral video, found that the incident is not recent but dates back to July 2025. The accused in the incident is Mahesh Yadav, against whom the police had registered a case and taken action at that time. We found reports from Navbharat Times and Dainik Bhaskar, dated July 26, 2025, regarding the viral video. These reports state that the accused, identified as Mahesh Yadav, threatened the priest and demanded money.
The Navbharat Times report states, ‘This incident occurred at the famous Chintamani Ganesh Temple in Sehore. On Saturday afternoon, a man named Mahesh Yadav began pushing and shoving the priest, Jai Dubey, and a servitor, Lokesh Soni, inside the temple. He was also carrying a large, sharp weapon. A video of this is also going viral. In the video, Mahesh Yadav enters the temple, concealing the weapon in a piece of paper. Then, brandishing the same weapon, he threatens to launch a major attack if the money is not paid within 24 hours.’
Upon further investigation, we found full coverage of the incident on a YouTube channel called ‘The Sutra’. This coverage also included statements from priest Jai Dubey and police officer Abhinandana Sharma. The priest says, ‘A man named Mahesh Yadav started demanding unnecessary money. When I told him that I had no dealings with him, he started abusing me, and he had brought a sword with him, with which he even tried to attack me.’
We also found a statement on this incident from police officer Abhinandana Sharma, posted on the official X handle of the Sehore police on July 26, 2025. In her statement, the police officer stated that the accused in the complaint filed by the priest is named Mahesh Yadav. The police wrote in the post, ‘Press Note: Today, on 26.07.25, a video of a person threatening the priest of the Ganesh temple with a sharp weapon came to light through social media. The priest has submitted an application, along with CCTV footage, to the Mandi police station, based on which the Mandi police registered a case under relevant sections and arrested the accused. The Mandi police station is conducting further investigation in the case.’
Conclusion:
DFRAC’s fact check clearly shows that the viral video on social media is an old incident from July 2025, in which the misleading claim is made that the accused, Mahesh Yadav, is Muslim. Therefore, the user’s claim is false.
