The Jharkhand Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Nishikant Dubey and Manoj Tiwari, along with others, for allegedly "forcibly" entering the inner sanctum of the Baba Baidyanath Temple in Deoghar on August 2, 2025. The FIR was lodged following a complaint by Kartik Nath Thakur, a temple priest, who alleged that the MPs' actions hurt religious sentiments and disrupted government work.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred between 8:45 pm and 9 pm when Dubey and Tiwari, along with their associates, allegedly entered the inner shrine of the temple despite restrictions on VIP or VVIP entries during the holy month of 'Shravan', a period when a large number of devotees visit the temple. Thakur stated that the "forcible entry" and an ensuing "scuffle" with police officers deployed for security caused fear among thousands of devotees, leading to a stampede-like situation. He further alleged that the MPs disrupted the ongoing 'kancha jal puja' ritual. The FIR was registered at the Baba Baidyanath Mandir Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Nishikant Dubey has responded to the FIR, claiming that he is being targeted for performing 'puja' (prayers). In a post on social media platform X, Dubey stated that he has been booked for worshipping and that 51 cases have been registered against him so far. He also said he intends to surrender to the police.

Manoj Tiwari has not yet responded to the allegations. However, recent reports highlight Tiwari's participation in the Lok Sabha proceedings despite injuries sustained during a 100-km Kanwar Yatra to Deoghar. He completed the pilgrimage, returning to the Capital to attend the Monsoon Session.

The Baba Baidyanath Temple is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas and holds immense significance for millions of devotees. During the month of 'Shravan', thousands of 'Kanwariyas' undertake a 105-km pilgrimage from Sultanganj in Bihar to Deoghar, Jharkhand, to offer holy Ganga water at the temple. Approximately 5.5 million devotees have visited the temple during the current 'Shravan Mela'.

This is not the first time Dubey and Tiwari have faced legal trouble. In 2022, an FIR was registered against them and others for allegedly forcing Air Traffic Control (ATC) officials to provide clearance for their chartered flight to take off from Deoghar airport beyond the scheduled time. The Supreme Court, however, overturned this case of criminal trespass.