FIR for selling 'Govardhan Shila' as a product in UP

Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 8 The Mathura police have registered an FIR against three persons, including the founder and CEO of an Indian e-commerce company IndiaMART, for allegedly selling sacred Govardhan Shila (stone) as a product on their website.

Circle office Govardhan, Ravikant Parashar told reporters that the FIR has been registered under sections 295 (destruction, damage, or defiling any place of worship held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons) of IPC and section 66D of the IT Act against three persons.

Those named in the FIR include CEO of the web portal Dinesh Agarwal, his brother Brijesh and a local supplier, Ankur Agarwal.

The case was registered on Sunday on the basis of a complaint filed by a local resident Keshav Mukhia.

Earlier in the day, a large number of agitated local residents and saints reached the police station and filed a complaint against officials of the web portal. They also demanded their arrest for hurting the sentiments of the devotees of 'Giriraj ji' (Govardhan mountain that was lifted by Lord Krishna on his little finger).

According to local residents, who reached the Govardhan police station for registration of the FIR, Giriraj ji is the matter of faith.

"A company cannot put it for sale as a product and they should stop this practice," said Mahant Siyaram Das.

On Indiamart website, the Govardhan Shila (stone) is available at Rs 5,175 per piece.

( With inputs from IANS )