A youth has been booked by the Uttar Pradesh police after a video of him drinking beer while bathing in the Ganga river went viral on social media. The incident has sparked outrage among locals and religious groups, who consider the river sacred.
Police Action
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Atul Anjan Tripathi stated that the police took cognisance after the video surfaced online. He added that a police team has been dispatched to Bihar to arrest the accused. The youth is believed to be a resident of Bihar and was visiting Varanasi when the incident occurred.
Viral Video
The video, originally posted on Twitter by a user named Gaurav, shows the youth holding a beer bottle while standing in the Ganga. The caption read: 'The question was, wearing the sacred thread, at 5 am in the Ganga, can you drink beer?' The video quickly gained traction, leading to police action.
The police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Environmental Protection Act for desecrating the river. The accused may face charges of hurting religious sentiments and polluting the water body.
This incident has reignited debates about the sanctity of the Ganga and the need for stricter enforcement of laws to protect the river. Local religious leaders have condemned the act, calling it an insult to Hindu traditions. The police have urged the public not to engage in such activities and to respect the cultural significance of the river.
