‘Never saw such silence on Eid’: Iftar arrests dampen festivities in Varanasi’s Tartala

Mohammad Salam said there is widespread anger among locals against the police and administration as “innocent men have been sent to jail without proper evidence and without adequately verifying the allegations made by the complainant, who is associated with a political party”. Salam’s nephew Mohammad Ahmed alias Raju is also an accused in the case.

Fathers of youths, arrested in Varanasi for allegedly eating Biryani on Ganga during Iftar party. (Express Photo: Vishal Srivastav)

Tartala is a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood with around 200 families. “Households in our area did not prepare sewai this Eid as a mark of solidarity with the families of the 14 arrested youths. The usual festive cheer is missing — people are visiting the homes of the youths to express their support,” said 58-year-old Mohammad Anees, sitting with some other residents near the area’s main crossing.

Anees’s eldest son Mohammad Faizan is among those arrested in the case. “A deep silence has settled over the area. Some people have not even purchased new clothes for the festival this year,” he said.

The Indian Express visited Tartala on Saturday and spoke to the families of the youths. The 14 men, educated up to Class VIII, live within a radius of about 300 metres and are engaged in small-scale saree trade. Their families have been living in the Tartala area for generations.

“Since childhood, we have been visiting Chausathi Ghat to bathe in the Ganga. Organising Iftar gatherings on boats is not new for us, and no one ever objected earlier. These youths decided to hold an Iftar on a boat on Sunday, which was their weekly off. They planned everything in advance. All the items were purchased from the market,” said 61-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, whose sons, Mohammad Anas and Mohammad Ahmed, have been arrested.

Youths who attended Iftar Party on a boat on Ganga river in police custody Varanasi. (Express Photo: Vishal Srivastav)

“The only new thing these boys did was upload pictures of their Iftar gathering on social media. Perhaps that became their ‘crime’ and led to their arrest. Before taking action, the police should verify whether there is any video showing them throwing the bones into the Ganga. If no such evidence exists, then they have been arrested merely for eating food on a boat. Has eating on a boat now become a crime? If so, the government should make it clear,” Mukhtar Ahmed said. He said the youths kept the bones and the leftovers in a plastic bag and did not throw it in the river.

“People often take food on boats, and some even consume liquor discreetly, but no one raises objections. When youths gather for an Iftar and share a meal, it is suddenly being treated as a crime,” said a resident, who did not wish to be named.

Mohammad Naseem (57), whose son Nehal Afridi has been arrested, said:  “Now it feels as if the Ganga is out of bounds for us. It becomes a serious issue if someone from our community even goes there.”

The families dismissed allegations that the boat was taken forcibly. “The youths had contacted a resident, Naju Yadav, to arrange the boat and paid him for a 45-minute ride. Members of the boat owner’s family were present on the boat at the time (of iftar). After four days the police claimed the boat was taken forcibly, based on statements from the owner’s family,” said Mohammad Shameem, whose sons Mohammad Tahseem and Azad Ali are among the accused.  He said the ghats are usually crowded and any incident of forcibly taking a boat would not have gone unnoticed.

When contacted, the family of Naju Yadav said he had already given his statement to the police and had since left town for some work.

The boat owner, Kashi Sahani, and his family declined to comment on the matter.