FIRs against 8 over ‘misleading social media content’ on Varanasi’s Manikarnika Ghat

The police complaints were filed by the construction agency engaged in strengthening infrastructure facilities and carrying out the beautification work at Manikarnika Ghat, and a government official.

According to the police, the complainant alleged that while commenting on the ongoing beautification work at Manikarnika Ghat, the accused shared photographs on X that were “false, baseless and misleading”.

The complainants further alleged that by circulating such misleading posts and images, the accused deceived and misled people who have faith in Hindu deities. This, the police said, triggered public outrage and disturbed social harmony, with the posts drawing a flood of comments and reactions on X.

The posts also sought to link the Indian government with Aurangzeb, a claim that sparked anger among people, they added.

The FIRs were filed under Sections 196 (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 353 (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).