A priest of the Agastya Muni Ashram in Bareilly, who has solemnised over 64 inter-faith marriages, has sought security after he reportedly received threatening calls.
The priest, Pandit KK Shankdhar, met Bareilly’s Senior Superintendent of Police Akhilesh Chaurasia and sought security.
He said he had solemnised weddings of 64 Muslim women with Hindu men in the past six years -- 20 this year alone. Shankdhar claimed that he was recently intercepted by some youths near a shrine and threatened but he managed to escape.
The priest claimed that he was receiving calls from private numbers with the callers threatening to behead him.
"I am apprehensive of an attack on me anytime and, hence, want security from the police," he said.
Shankdhar said he was being targeted as he performs "rituals for non-Hindu women marrying Hindu men and helps them convert their religion before marriage".
The SSP said, "I have forwarded Shankdhar's application to the circle officer of the local intelligence unit and asked them to provide a report on it. He said the decision to give security to the priest would be taken on the basis of the report.