Varanasi Iftar Boat Party: 14 Arrested for Serving Non-Veg Food on Ganga

Varanasi, India: Legal action has been initiated after a video of an Iftar party held on a boat in the middle of the Ganga River went viral. The incident took place on Monday evening near Panchganga Ghat in the Kotwali police jurisdiction. Following the video’s circulation on social media, the police acted promptly and arrested 14 Muslim youths involved in the event.

The complaint was lodged by Rajat Jaiswal, President of the BJP Youth Morcha, Varanasi. The complaint alleges that non-vegetarian food, specifically biryani, was served during the Iftar on the boat, which hurt religious sentiments. It further claims that bones from the non-vegetarian food were thrown into the Ganga. The video reportedly shows the youths celebrating on the boat and consuming non-vegetarian food, which has been perceived by some as an insult to Hindu sentiments.

Arrests and Charges After verifying the video, the police arrested all 14 accused. The youths were reportedly celebrating Iftar on the Ganga with non-vegetarian dishes included. Cases have been registered against them under sections related to hurting religious sentiments and other applicable provisions.

Authorities have taken the matter seriously, initiating immediate action. Police sources stated that the investigation began after the video went viral, and the accused were taken into custody once identified. The incident has stirred public discussion in Varanasi, especially given the sensitive atmosphere surrounding Ram Navami and other religious events in the city.