Probe ordered after Eknath Shinde’s son enters Ujjain temple’s sanctum sanctorum
Hitting back at the criticism, Shrikant Shinde said in Mumbai: “They (the Opposition) get an allergy even if we go to the temple. They don’t take darshan and stop others from doing so.”
Shrikant Shinde, the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde (File Photo)
Advertisement
Temple authorities have ordered a probe after Lok Sabha member Shrikant Shinde, who is the son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was allowed entry into the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahakaleshwar temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain.
According to authorities, no one is allowed entry into ‘garbha griha’, or sanctum sanctorum, of the temple – a ban that has been in place for nearly a year. However, temple officials said Shrikant Shinde, the MP from Kalyan in Maharashtra’s Thane district, entered the sanctum sanctorum along with his wife and two others to worship the deity on Thursday evening.
You’ve Read Your Free Stories For Now
Sign up and keep reading more stories that matter to you.
Chairman of the temple committee and Ujjain District Collector Neeraj Kumar Singh said, “Nobody is allowed to enter the garbha griha. This (Shinde’s) is an unauthorised entry and I have directed the temple administrator to take immediate action in this matter.”
Ganesh Dhakad, the administrator of the temple, said a probe has been ordered and that action will be taken against the inspector responsible for overseeing entry and other aspects of the sanctum sanctorum, as well as others.
The Opposition Congress took strong objection to the incident, saying VIPs were allowed entry into the sanctum sanctorum despite the ban, while common citizens have to wait in queues for hours for “darshan”.
Hitting back at the criticism, Shrikant Shinde said in Mumbai: “They (the Opposition) get an allergy even if we go to the temple. They don’t take darshan and stop others from doing so.”
Story continues below this ad
Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar said: “While a common devotee has to stand in long queues and wait for hours for the darshan of Lord Mahakaleshwar, VIPs were allowed to enter the garbha griha despite a ban on entering it. This is against rules and we strongly oppose it.”
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
