In the town of Bijnor, located in Uttar Pradesh, a disturbing incident unfolded during Holi celebrations, as captured in a widely circulated video.
The footage shows a group of individuals engaging harassing a Muslim man and two women, forcibly dousing them with water and applying colors despite their visible discomfort and protests.
The video, lasting 1.22 minutes, portrayed the motorbike carrying the trio being abruptly halted by the celebrators, who proceeded to subject them to unwelcome actions.
Amidst the distressing ordeal, one of the men in the group smeared dark color across the face of the man, while others vocally expressed their jubilation, extending Holi greetings.
As the women voiced their objections, an individual in the group justified their actions by citing a purported 70-year-old tradition.
Eventually, the trio was released from the ordeal, allowing them to depart, though not without the instigators chanting religious slogans as the bike sped away, echoing cries of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Shri Ram”.
Prompted by the widespread dissemination of the video, Bijnor’s Superintendent of Police, Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, swiftly directed local law enforcement to investigate the matter and take necessary action.
With the aid of the viral video, the authorities successfully identified the individuals involved.
SP Neeraj Jadaun, in a video message issued a stern warning against such acts of harassment during Holi festivities.