UP Police arrest one of the accused who tortured Nepali youth in Varanasi (With video)

Published On: July 18, 2020 10:52 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, July 18: Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police on Friday arrested one of the accused who tortured a Nepali national living in Varanasi and forced him to chant anti-Nepal slogans on Wednesday.

UP Police in India sprang into action after Ambassador of Nepal to India, Nilamber Acharya talked to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the telephone on Friday demanding action against those involved in the incident. The chief minister had then assured him of the safety of Nepali nationals residing in UP.

Ambassador Acharya called him over the telephone shortly after a Facebook video went viral where a Nepali youth is tortured by a group of Indian nationals, forcing him to say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and chant slogans against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The group also forcefully shaved his head and wrote ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on his scalp.

Varanasi police had earlier registered an FIR at Bhelupur Police Station, saying necessary action would be taken against the guilty. According to UP Police, a person has already been arrested, while a search is underway to arrest the remaining others involved in the incident.

The incident in Varanasi was recorded and shared by Arun Pathak, who is the president of Varanasi-based Vishwa Hindu Sena. He, along with other youths, forced the Nepali youth to praise India for providing livelihood opportunities to Nepali nationals.

In the video, Pathak warned that Nepali nationals residing in India will have to face the consequences of Oli's statement if PM Oli doesn’t retract his statement. The video has drawn flak across Nepal and India.

Addressing a function at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Baluwatar organized to mark the 207th birth anniversary of Nepali poet Bhanu Bhakta Acharaya earlier this week, PM Oli made a controversial statement that the Ayodhya where Lord Ram was born lies in Nepal (at the Thori village near Birgunj) and claimed that India had created an artificial Ayodhya. The PM also claimed that Lord Ram was a Nepali and not an Indian.

However, a day after the prime minister’s remarks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a clarification saying that Oli’s remarks “are not linked to any political subject and have no intention at all to hurt the feelings and sentiments of anyone.”