The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has confirmed to The Quint that security personnel at an ISKCON complex in Juhu in Mumbai were spraying gaumutra (cow urine) on visitors’ hands as a “precaution for coronavirus”.

Visitors allege this was done without their permission. ISKCON has not denied the allegation – a representative from the organisation’s Communications team told The Quint that they should perhaps have informed visitors it was gaumutra before spraying it on their hands.

ISKCON says gaumutra was used only because they were running short of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and that it was applied on visitors only on Sunday, 15 March.