14 arrested in Varanasi for allegedly dumping biryani waste in Ganga during iftar party on boat

Mangalore Today News Network

UP, Mar 18, 2026: Fourteen Muslim youths were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi after a video allegedly showing them holding an iftar gathering on a boat and dumping non-vegetarian food waste into the Ganga River went viral, police said on Wednesday.

The arrests followed a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha city unit chief Rajat Jaiswal, who accused the group of hurting religious sentiments and defiling a sacred site.

According to Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Vijay Pratap Singh, an FIR was registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including provisions related to insulting religious beliefs, promoting enmity between communities, public nuisance, and disobeying official orders.

Charges were also invoked under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.

Police said the accused were identified through the viral footage and were later traced to the Madanpura area.

Acting on a tip-off, officers detained them near Gaighat on Tuesday after a brief scuffle and brought them to the Kotwali police station.

The complaint alleged that the group consumed non-vegetarian food during the iftar gathering while boating near the Bindu Madhav Temple and subsequently threw leftover food and bones into the river.

The complainant also claimed that references were made to a nearby religious structure during the incident.

The Ganga holds deep religious significance for millions of Hindus, with Varanasi, also known as Kashi, drawing devotees from across India and abroad for rituals and prayers. Authorities said the matter is under investigation.