A viral video from Maharashtra’s Lohagad Fort has reignited debate over tourist behaviour at heritage sites, with social media sharply divided after a local man confronted a group of visitors, reportedly from Delhi, for allegedly smoking cigarettes in the historic fort’s premises.The incident comes days after Lohagad Fort was temporarily closed following the alleged pushing of Ketan Agarwal by Siya Goyal, a case that had drawn national attention to the popular trekking destination.In the 1-minute-45-second video, the local man questions the tourists about who had permitted them to smoke at the fort. The visitors respond that they were unaware of any such rule and claim there was no signboard prohibiting smoking.Visibly upset, the man tells them, “You should have some common sense. Would you smoke inside a temple? This fort is our temple.”He later warns the group that he would file a police complaint and asks them to hand over their cigarettes.The clip was shared on X with the caption, “Delhi’s public on Lohagad! To preserve the sanctity of Maharashtra’s forts and strongholds, there is a complete legal ban on smoking cigarettes, tobacco and alcohol consumption. Didn’t they know this, or did they come to see Siya Point?”The post soon went viral, drawing mixed reactions.Some users backed the local’s stand but criticised his manner of confronting the tourists.”You should have spoken politely. If someone doesn’t know a rule or breaks one, tell them nicely. Why make a video and post it publicly just to get views and followers?” one user commented.Another alleged that such confrontations had become a way to intimidate tourists from outside the state. “These days, this has become a new scam… threatening outsiders and trying to extort money,” the user wrote.Defending the confrontation, the person who shared the video replied that residents of Maharashtra take immense pride in their history and heritage and have every right to call out disrespectful behaviour.The user said, “People from Maharashtra take extreme pride in their history and heritage! Being a proud resident of Maharastra they have a full right to correct others who are acting disrespectful! The guy is talking about a police case and did not ask for any money.”Others questioned why the tourists were allegedly asked to surrender their cigarettes instead of being reported to the authorities.”So why did he take the expensive cigarettes from them? This is hafta wasooli; otherwise, he would have simply filed a complaint,” another user wrote.The discussion also veered into regional stereotyping, with several comments targeting people from Delhi and North India, while others criticised such sweeping generalisations and urged people not to judge entire communities based on the actions of a few individuals.One user said, “Delhi NCR people are the lowest forms of humans. They drink, smoke and rash drive everywhere. I don’t understand where the arrogance comes from, especially when Delhi is the shittiest capital city in the world.”Perched at an elevation of about 3,389 feet, Lohagad Fort is one of Maharashtra’s most prominent hill forts. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured the fort in 1600s, and it later served as a secure treasury for the wealth brought back from the Surat campaign.The latest viral video has once again put the spotlight on visitor conduct at heritage sites, with many calling for greater awareness and stricter enforcement of rules while cautioning against individuals taking enforcement into their own hands.