Varanasi: Continuing its crackdown on touts, fake priests and bogus guides allegedly extorting money from pilgrims in the name of providing hassle-free entry to crowded temples such as Kashi Vishwanath, police on Monday arrested 11 such persons from the vicinity of the Kaal Bhairav temple.ACP (Kotwali) Vijay Pratap Singh said the action followed several days of surveillance on suspected touts and fake priests operating around the temple premises. Acting on specific inputs, a special team from Kotwali police station carried out a surprise raid and arrested Irfan Ahmad, Rakesh Kumar, Karan Maurya, Adarsh Koniya, Manohar Kumar, Vishnu Sharma, Kaju Seth, Manavendra Dubey, Sandeep, Jitendra Mishra and Chhotu.The ACP said police intensified the operation after receiving a growing number of complaints from devotees against such elements, who allegedly preyed on crowds by offering “VIP” or hassle-free entry through exit gates of the temple.According to police, when pilgrims refused to pay or resisted their demands, the accused allegedly resorted to intimidation and forcibly extorted money from several visitors. They were also accused of creating disturbances and engaging in scuffles with devotees, posing a threat to law and order around the temple area.On Sunday, police from Dashashwamedh and Chowk police stations had also arrested 4 and 23 alleged touts and fake priests respectively for harassing and duping pilgrims near the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
