A viral video showing a youth allegedly consuming beer while bathing in the Ganga river in Varanasi has sparked outrage, following which police registered an FIR against an unidentified person on Friday.
The case was lodged by Dashashwamedh police based on a complaint filed by advocate Shashank Tripathi.
Police registered the FIR under Sections 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for promoting enmity and disturbing communal harmony, and Section 299 for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place around 5 am when the youth arrived at the ghat with his friends for bathing in the Ganga. While inside the river, he was allegedly seen holding a beer can and drinking from it.
People present at the spot reportedly objected and accused him of disrespecting the river. In the viral video, a man can be heard confronting the youth in Hindi, saying, “Brahmin hoke beer pee rahe ho, tumko samajh nahi aata Ganga nadi mein?” (You are a Brahmin and still drinking beer? Don’t you understand this is the Ganga river?)
The accused is then heard replying, “Ab nahi piyenge” (I won’t drink now).
The clip quickly spread across social media platforms, with many users calling it an insult to religious sentiments and demanding strict action.
ACP Dashashwamedh Atul Anjan Tripathi said police teams have been formed to identify and arrest the accused seen in the video.
The incident comes nearly two months after 14 youths were jailed for allegedly organising an iftar party on a boat in the Ganga in Varanasi and dumping non-vegetarian biryani waste into the river. Those accused were later granted bail by the Allahabad High Court.
Further investigation is underway.
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