Ayodhya: Three persons have been arrested for allegedly holding a mutton and beer boat party on the Saryu River in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.
A purported video of the event that is doing the rounds on social media has resulted in outrage, with many accusing them of hurting the religious sentiments of devotees.
The Cantonment Police arrested the three accused — Lavkush Nishad, Rajkumar Nishad and Jitendra Nishad — after officials came to know of the video. A search is on for one more person, abp LIVE reported.
The Saryu River holds immense religious significance in Ayodhya and the incident has sparked anger among devotees.
The video allegedly shows the youths consuming beer and eating mutton while on a boat in the middle of the river.
The police have said that the video seems to have been shot at Guptar Ghat under the jurisdiction of Cantonment Police Station. Thousands of devotees visit the ghat every day to take a holy dip in the Saryu.
Four members of the Nishad community were on the boat during the gathering, it has been claimed. The Nishad is an OBC community in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with members primarily engaged in fishing, boating and sand mining.
In the purported video, the person who is recording introduces the others and says: “It’s been a long time since we had a mutton party. With me are my friends Lavkush Nishad, Rajkumar Nishad and our elder brother Jitendra Nishad.”
They are enjoying a goat meat feast, he further says, while the group is seen eating and celebrating on the boat.
The name of another man, Amarjeet Nishad, crops up during the narration. His absence is mentioned by the videographer who says he hoped they would meet again soon.
While the three persons shown in the video have been arrested, the one who filmed the clip is absconding.