KOLKATA, INDIA, April 29, 2001: The police arrested 72 devotees and monks of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) who went on the rampage and clashed inside its Kolkata temple office on Saturday, according to this report from Times of India. An assistant commissioner of police and four constables were injured while trying to separate the warring sadhus. Some monks and devotees were also injured and furniture was damaged in the clash over “an old dispute,” police said. About 150 devotees and monks of ISKCON’s Mayapur temple in Nadia district arrived here on Friday night and tried to “evict the outsiders” in the ISKCON’s Albert Road temple office. This led to heated exchanges and scuffles, police said. Though the nature of the “dispute” was not known to the police, but was likely over the “ritvik” issue in the organization which has to do with the succession of leaders since the founder’s death and with who is authorized to initiate devotees. Police said tension had been brewing in the premises since Friday night. The arrested were lodged in the city police lock-up. A strong police contingent has been posted in front of the ISKCON temple office as a precautionary measure. The ISKCON organization denies any connection with Hindu religion.
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