Varanasi: A group of men were allegedly seen consuming alcohol and dancing to loud DJ music on a boat passing through the Ganga river in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.
Videos of the scene have gone viral on social media, showing a shirtless man drinking beer as loud music plays in the background. In another video, a cluster of boats was seen passing through the ghats to music.
According to the Varanasi police, the procession was reportedly religious, organised by the Manjhi community, classified as Dalits under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) after the Chaitra Navratri.
“Following Chaitra Navratri, the Manjhi community generally organises the shobha yatra or a ceremonial procession that proceeds from the Shitala Ghat,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Varanasi said.
“It passes by the shrine of Choti Shitala Mata and eventually reaches Mirzapur, where the participants stay overnight before returning the following day,” the ACP said.
He said the video appears to have been taken at night and is currently under investigation. “Efforts are underway to identify the individuals featured in it.”
When asked if the incident had hurt any religious sentiments, the ACP ignored it and repeated the previous statements.
This incident comes weeks after 14 Muslim youth were arrested and subsequently denied bail for breaking Ramzan fasts with non-vegetarian food on the holy waters.
In contrast, the youth were swiftly apprehended following the virality of the incident and a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Rajat Jaiswal, who claimed that non-veg food on the Ganga River deeply hurts the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.
