GORAKHPUR, Aug. 4 -- Three Muslims vendors, who had been running their makeshift shops selling puja items on a Shiva temple premises at Ethiya village under Thuthibari police station limits of Maharajganj district for the last many years, on Sunday replaced the puja items with cosmetic products after a protest by a group of Bajrang Dal activists, said Thuthibari police station SHO Mahendra Mishra. Confirming it, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Nichlaul Nand Prasad Maurya said the situation was brought under control after officials convinced the Muslim vendors to avoid confrontation. While the nature of the items sold was changed, the vendors were allowed to continue operating from the same location and their stalls were not relocated, he added. As per the police, tension flared up during Shrawani Mela on Saturday afternoon when Bajrang Dal activists raised objections to Muslim vendors- identified as Wahid, Alauddin and Shamsher- selling puja materials at the temple. The activists demanded that the stalls be shut down, alleging religious insensitivity and asserting that non-Hindu traders should not carry out business within the temple premises during Sawan month. The protest led to the temporary closure of the vendors' stalls and heated exchanges. However, prompt response by the SDM and local police prevented the situation from escalating further. With thousands of devotees from Nepal and nearby districts expected to visit Ethiya and Katehra Shiva temples on last Sawan Monday (August 4), district authorities have tightened security in the temples and mela grounds....