Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 21 (ANI): A few days after Varanasi police arrested several individuals after a video of them having an Iftar party in the middle of the Ganga river went viral, it has been alleged that the 'party' was done 'under someone's influence', Advocate Shashank Shekhar Tripathi has claimed.

Advocate Shashank Shekhar Tripathi, representing complainant Rajat Jaiswal, said, 'First, they made a video of themselves having Iftar at Gangaji and posted it on social media. This hurt the sentiments of Hindus... Rajat Jaiswal filed a case against them, and they (the accused) were identified and arrested. After the arrest, they were confident that they would be easily released based on their actions. They were sent to jail. But when the police started investigating the incident, very serious things came to light. These people did this under someone's influence...'

On the other hand, speaking on the incident and questioning the disparity in administrative response, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan said, 'A wave of hatred is sweeping the country. We have never seen hatred to this extent for Muslims. If 14 people were breaking their fast inside a boat during Iftar time, would you put them in jail by filing an FIR? I want to ask under which law they were put in jail... When dirty sewage water is dumped there, no one says anything, but if someone breaks their fast there, an FIR is filed against them...'

Meanwhile, in Delhi, several devotees converged at the Jama Masjid to perform the special prayers of Eid-ul-Fitr. The atmosphere remained vibrant as families exchanged greetings, signalling the start of day-long festivities across the city. Following the sighting of the Shawwal crescent, the mosque premises and surrounding streets of Old Delhi were filled with worshippers, marking the conclusion of the holy month of Ramzan.

A massive crowd of devotees and shoppers on Friday gathered at the Jama Masjid and its surrounding markets to make final purchases for Eid al-Fitr. On Friday night, the Delhi Police strengthened the security measures in and around Jama Masjid in view of Eid al-Fitr. People had also offered 'Alvida Namaz' in Delhi's Jama Masjid on Friday. (ANI)