‘Issue directions to Indradev’: UP man files complaint against God over incessant rain

He submitted the complaint on September 26, as heavy rain continued to disrupt normal life in parts of Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh’s incessant rainfall has led to an unusual complaint against Lord Indra himself. Suraj Tiwari, a resident of Hardoi district, filed a complaint against the Hindu god of rain on the state’s public grievance portal, asking officials to use their “divine means of communication” to get the downpour under control.People sit on a tree that has been uprooted by a severe storm in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, September 27, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer (REUTERS)Tiwari said in his complaint that “Indradev” had been causing excessive rainfall in the district for several hours, news agency PTI reported. He submitted the complaint on September 26, as heavy rain continued to disrupt normal life in parts of Uttar Pradesh.“Sometimes heavy and sometimes slow rainfall is completely disrupting normal life. Indradev is continuously causing rain without any prior information, putting the general public to unnecessary trouble,” Tiwari said in his complaint to the administration.Deep DiveAlso Read: 56 dead in 48 hours as heavy rain wreaks havoc across UP, 1,000 houses damaged'Don't know Indradev’s number'He said roads, lanes and low-lying areas had been inundated, making it difficult for people to leave their homes and affecting their daily work. The prolonged rainfall had also raised concerns among farmers over possible crop damage.Tiwari then made an unusual appeal to the district magistrate.“I do not know Indradev’s mobile number. Therefore, I request the district magistrate to take this matter seriously and, through his divine means of communication, issue necessary directions to Indradev so that the rain can be controlled immediately and the people of the district can get relief,” he said.UP rain furyPrayagraj: People carry their belongings to safer places along the banks of the Sangam as the water level rises following heavy rain, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (PTI Photo)(PTI09_27_2026_000489B) (PTI)Behind the unusual complaint, however, is a severe weather situation. Uttar Pradesh recorded 97.6 mm of rainfall in the 48 hours between September 25 morning and September 27 morning, against a cumulative average of 4.5 mm, officials said.Heavy rain and storms claimed 56 lives and injured 46 people across the state during the period. More than 1,020 houses were damaged and 107 animals died in rain-related incidents, relief commissioner Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod said.Excessive rainfall was recorded in 56 of Uttar Pradesh’s 75 districts, Yashod said, adding that the casualty figures could rise as data compilation was still under way.The adverse weather conditions that persisted for more than 48 hours have eased somewhat and are now largely confined to the Terai region, which is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall, the weather department said.(With inputs from PTI)Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read MoreUttar PradeshWeatherGet the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.