DK Shivakumar's Visit At Hasanamba Temple Halts General Darshan Queue; Angry Devotees Throw Slippers At TV Screen

Karnataka: Tensions erupted at the famous Hasanamba Temple in Hassan on Sunday afternoon as angry devotees threw slippers at a television screen showing Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar during his visit. The protest broke out after temple authorities halted the general darshan queue to facilitate VIP access.

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VIP Access Stalls General Darshan Line

The incident unfolded around 12:00 PM when the Chief Minister entered the sanctum sanctorum to perform special prayers. To accommodate the visit, temple management temporarily stopped the general darshan line. Thousands of pilgrims, many of them women who had been standing in line for several hours, were left stranded, triggering intense anger over the sudden delay.

Visuals Trigger Public Outrage

The situation escalated rapidly after live visuals of DK Shivakumar sitting inside the sanctum sanctorum were telecast on a large television screen placed near the queue. Watching the VIP treatment on screen while enduring long hours of waiting enraged the crowd.

Angry devotees waiting in long queues at Hasanamba Temple in Hassan “gifted” CM DK Shivakumar a special Diwali present yesterday they threw slippers at the LED screen showing his VIP darshan after his visit allegedly delayed ordinary devotees for hours. VIP culture at temples continues to spark outrage. #HasanambaTemple #DKShivakumar #VIPDarshan

— ಸನಾತನ (सनातन) (@sanatan_kannada) November 9, 2026

Several devotees openly criticised the administration, with one woman remarking, "People elect leaders to protect their interests, not to cause them hardship."

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Slippers Hurled At TV Screen

In a fit of anger, several devotees removed their slippers and hurled them at the television screen displaying the Chief Minister's visuals. Video clips of the incident quickly went viral on social media platforms, sparking widespread reactions and debates.

The incident has once again brought crowd management protocols and the issue of VIP culture at major religious shrines into focus.

(With Inputs From Jagran.com)