Varanasi: Man arrested for drinking beer on boat in Ganga after video goes viral

Varanasi:

Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested a man after a video of him consuming alcohol on a boat in the Ganga river in Varanasi went viral on social media, officials said. The arrested accused has been identified as Arjun Rajbhar, who decorates boats, police said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Gaurav Kumar said the video showed two men consuming intoxicants while riding a boat in the river. "A complaint was received at the Bhelupur police station and a case was registered. One of the accused has been identified and arrested," he said, adding that further investigation is underway.

Akhilesh Yadav says people in stress due to BJP

Meanwhile, reacting to the development, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the ruling BJP.

"Is this something new? People are consuming beer everywhere. Since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power, people are drinking more because they are under stress and facing difficulties," Yadav told reporters in Lucknow.

14 arrested in Varanasi for hosting Iftar, eating biryani on Ganga

Earlier during Ramadan, at least 14 people were arrested in Varanasi on charges of defiling a place of worship and hurting religious sentiments after a video allegedly showed them eating chicken biryani during an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga river.

The action followed a written complaint filed by Rajat Jaiswal, the city unit chief of the BJP Yuva Morcha. Based on the complaint, a case was registered at the Kotwali police station and further legal proceedings were initiated.

Jaiswal alleged that an Iftar party was organised on a boat in the Ganga, during which chicken biryani was consumed. "The Ganga holds deep and unshakeable faith for the followers of Sanatan Dharma. Thousands of devotees from across the country and the world visit Kashi every day to perform rituals and offer prayers using Ganga water.

"In such a situation, eating biryani on a boat in the middle of the river and throwing its leftovers into the water is completely inappropriate. This act appears to have been done with the intention of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus," he said.

Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vijay Pratap Singh said that a video went viral on Monday, purportedly showing a group of people holding an Iftar party on a boat on the Ganga and consuming biryani during the gathering.

The FIR was lodged under BNS sections 298 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult th religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malacious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 196(1) B (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place etc), 270 (public nuisance), 279 (fouling water of public spring or reservoir) and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

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