Nobody, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, expected that a police crackdown on cult-crazed squatters in Jawahar Park in the revered town of Mathura would be met with violence.
Upholding a court order, about 1,000 police personnel launched a clearance operation at the 26-acre park, but only invoked the wrath of the protesters.
The protesters occupied the park in late 2014 and a court has ordered the government to clear the area only recently.
Local reports suggest followers of the group's late spiritual leader or 'godman', Baba jai Gurudev, have been linked the episode. Gurudev owned opulent residences and other facilities in the northern Indian state.
The federal administration urged the local government authorities to take stringent action against the perpetrators.
Amid the violence, the administration admitted that they had underestimated the strength of the park's occupants and said the police forces were taken by surprise.
Meanwhile, the Twitterati vented their fury on actress Hema Malini, who is the Member of Parliament from the Mathura constituency, for posting images from a film-shoot while there was violence.
Here’s a list of social media posts which heap scorn on the parliamentarian.
#Mathura burns, Hema Malini tweets on film. Watch what she said when asked about the same #ITVideohttps://t.co/WzllocL4Eo
— India Today (@IndiaToday) June 3, 2016
I however, have a diff problem with the likes of Hema Malini. Being n MP cant b a part time job when you call acting ur full time profession
— Vande Mataram (@UnSubtleDesi) June 3, 2016
BJP MP (Mathura) Hema Malini uploads shoot pictures on her Twitter even as death toll from Mathura incident rises. pic.twitter.com/CCilzxReCZ
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 3, 2016
Someone pls enlighten me… What's the utility value of #HemaMalini as a politician? Why does the #BJP even tolerate her?
— kamlesh sutar (@kamleshsutar) June 3, 2016
#HemaMalini and #kiranbedi should not have entered politics. Both losing the fame they built. Great actor and an officer have become clown
— Deepak Kumaraselvam (@Deepak_k_selvam) June 3, 2016
#HemaMalini's #Mathura fiasco shows we must do away with celeb MPs | @apoorva2pathak | https://t.co/suXAHpzAiq pic.twitter.com/Zft5eEygmg
— DailyO (@DailyO_) June 3, 2016