Four arrested after idols of Hindu gods desecrated, pictures burnt in UP village

Superintendent of Police says the idols and pictures of the gods were taken out from some houses in the Harijan Basti, Dalit Tola, and set ablaze amid sloganeering.

Hindu religious idols were desecrated and pictures set ablaze at a village in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, following which four people were arrested, police said on Monday.

The incident took place a few days ago and a case was registered on Saturday evening after a video was shared on a messaging application, they said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Vijay Pal Singh said the idols and pictures of the gods were taken out from some houses in the Harijan Basti, Dalit Tola, and set ablaze amid sloganeering.

Police have registered an FIR in this connection against three named and 20 to 25 unnamed persons on a complaint lodged by the district secretary of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Avinash Soni, he said, adding that four people have been arrested.

The video of the incident at Nagpur village was shared on a Whatsapp group, police said.

The miscreants also defaced the pictures and idols, according to the FIR.