Dozens of people staged a protest at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi on Monday, alleging that a statue of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar had been damaged during the ongoing redevelopment work. Upon receiving the information, local police arrived at the scene and attempted to reason with the protesters.
However, the protesters clashed with the police officers. Considering the volatile situation, the police dispersed the crowd and took 16 into custody for questioning.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Atul Anjan Tripathi stated that the protesters had not obtained any permission for the demonstration. He added that they also attempted to disrupt the religious atmosphere and continued their protest despite being asked to stop.
The protesters are reportedly from the Pal community. They had gathered at Manikarnika Ghat and were chanting slogans against the police and the administration.
It is reported that these individuals had come from Prayagraj. During the protest, they clashed with police officers. Further action will be taken after questioning them at the police station.