Fact Check: Ancient temple demolished in Uttar Pradesh's Chitrakoot? No, here are the facts

Giving reference to other alleged demolitions of temples in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya and Kashi (Varanasi), an X user shared the video and wrote, “300-year-old ancient temple demolished in the name of development. Chitrakoot temple was completely destroyed… First Ayodhya, then Kashi, now Chitrakoot… Jai Siyaram, Jai Shri Krishna.” (Translated from Hindi)

An Instagram user shared the video with the caption, “The Samajwadi Party accused the BJP government of demolishing temples using bulldozers, alleging that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the demolition of a 300-year-old temple in Chitrakoot. The party claimed that when Swami Avimukteshwaranand raised his voice against the demolition of temples, action was taken against him by what it termed a ‘Kalnemi government’ in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh. Sharing a video of the bulldozer action, the SP said such incidents expose the reality of the BJP’s ‘so-called Hindu nationalist’ politics, calling the demolition of an ancient temple under a BJP government ‘shameful.’”

Fact Check

NewsMeter found that the claim is misleading as the video is from Chitrakoot in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, not Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot.

Where is the video from?

We conducted a keyword search and found the video reported by ABP News on January 27.

According to the report, the video is from Chitrakoot in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. The authorities were conducting a road-widening drive and began demolishing parts of the ancient Gaurihar Temple. A last-minute High Court order stopped the operation. The report also noted that the demolition sparked controversy and was carried out amid heavy deployment.

According to reports by Dainik Bhaskar and Amar Ujala, a road-widening drive in Satna district’s Chitrakoot was carried out on January 21. The demolition of Gaurihar Temple was halted after a last-minute stay by Madhya Pradesh’s High Court.

Clarification from the UP Police

The fact-check wing of Uttar Pradesh police on January 27 debunked the claim that the demolition of an ancient temple in Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh is misleading. The video pertains to road widening work under the Nayagaon police station in Madhya Pradesh.

It also mentioned that MP’s Chitrakoot police have clarified the same.

Geolocating the temple

Using media reports and police clarification, we geolocated using Google Maps the Gaurihar Temple and found it at Laxman Bhiar Colony, Sitapur, Chitrakoot, Madhya Pradesh. This confirmed that the temple is in Madhya Pradesh.

Hence, we conclude that the video of temple demolition is from Madhya Pradesh, not Uttar Pradesh. The claim is misleading.