From Pride To Pariah: In Ram Temple Donation Scam Accused Avinash Shukla's Village, Silence Is Louder Than Words

Published 14 July 2026 · india

From Pride To Pariah: In Ram Temple Donation Scam Accused Avinash Shukla's Village, Silence Is Louder Than Words Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July

From Pride To Pariah: In Ram Temple Donation Scam Accused Avinash Shukla's Village, Silence Is Louder Than Words Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 19:02 IST Conversations stop when outsiders arrive, elderly residents avoid speaking on camera, and Avinash Shukla's family has retreated behind closed doors Rapid Read Avinash Shukla. (News18) For years, villagers in Babupur Nariyawan proudly introduced Avinash Shukla as the young man entrusted with counting devotees’ offerings at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Today, they lower their voices when his name comes up. Named by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) as the prime accused in the alleged Ram Temple donation theft, Shukla has transformed his village from a symbol of pride into one associated with one of the temple’s biggest controversies. The change, however, is visible across the village. Conversations stop when outsiders arrive, elderly residents avoid speaking on camera, and Avinash’s family has retreated behind closed doors. What was once a source of collective pride has become a burden that villagers say they will carry for years, fearing the allegations have tarnished not just one family’s reputation but the identity of Babupur Nariyawan itself. WHAT LOCALS SAY The narrow lanes now are unusually quiet. Elderly men who once gathered beneath the banyan tree now speak in hushed tones, while children are hurried indoors as soon as an outsider enters the village. “There was a time when we proudly told people that one of our boys had earned the responsibility of counting donations offered to Lord Ram," says Ram Kishore Mishra, a resident. “We believed he had earned the trust of the temple authorities. Today, people know our village only because of the theft case. It has brought a bad name to all of us." The man at the centre of the controversy, Avinash Shukla, was part of the team responsible for counting offerings made by devotees at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple.

According to the SIT, he is one of the prime accused in the alleged theft of cash and other offerings from the donation-counting process. Investigators claim the theft was systematic and continued over a period before discrepancies triggered an inquiry. For the people of Babupur Nariyawan, however, the investigation has become more than a criminal case—it has become a matter of honour. “When the news of his arrest first broke, we refused to believe it," says another villager. “But when the SIT projected him as the main accused, everyone was stunned. If these allegations are true, then he has betrayed not only the trust of the temple but also the trust of his own village." Residents say the controversy has altered the way outsiders perceive them. “Earlier, if someone asked where we were from, we proudly said Babupur Nariyawan," says a local shopkeeper. “Now people immediately ask, ‘Isn’t that the village of the Ram Temple donation theft accused?’ We have lost our identity." Not only this, the fear has extended beyond public perception. “We worry about our children’s future," says another resident. “People may hesitate to marry their daughters into families from this village. They might think this village has a bad reputation. One person’s alleged actions should not define an entire community, but unfortunately that is exactly what is happening." Shukla’s elderly parents have withdrawn from public life since the arrest. His father, Ram Sajeevan Shukla, says the family has little left to say. “People keep coming with questions," he says. “The court will decide whether my son is guilty or innocent. If he has done wrong, he should be punished. If he is innocent, justice must prevail." His mother, struggling to contain her emotions, says the family never imagined facing such humiliation. “We raised our children to be honest," she says. “We only pray that the truth comes out.