Fourteen arrested in India’s Varanasi after Chicken Biryani at iftaar sparks religious outrage

Fourteen Muslim men were arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi after police accused them of offending Hindu religious sentiments by holding an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga and eating chicken biryani.

According to Scroll.in arrests followed the circulation of a video on social media showing the group on the river on Monday. The footage triggered outrage among some local Hindu groups, after which a complaint was lodged by Rajat Jaiswal, the city chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) youth wing.

According to the complaint, the gathering was disrespectful because it took place on the Ganga, a river considered sacred by Hindus. Jaiswal also alleged that meat remains were thrown into the water during the event, further inflaming tensions.

Police subsequently registered a case against the men under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These included sections related to insulting religious beliefs, defiling a place of worship, and promoting hostility between communities. They were also booked under charges linked to public nuisance and the alleged use of false evidence.

In addition, authorities invoked provisions of the Water Prevention and Control of Pollution Act.

The case has drawn attention for the manner in which a private iftar gathering escalated into a criminal matter after the video spread online and complaints were made about its religious and environmental implications.