Three arrested after two Nepali groups clash over Holi celebration in Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Mar 16 (PTI): Three people have been arrested after two groups of Nepali citizens allegedly clashed while celebrating Holi at Lalbagh Botanical Gardens creating panic among visitors, police said on Sunday.
The incident allegedly occurred on Friday evening atop the geological monument of Lalbagh rock, they said.
A purported video of the incident which occurred in the Siddapura police station limits had gone viral on social media platforms and several people raised concerns about safety and security at public places.
Following the incident, locals gathered outside the Siddapura police station on Sunday demanding the arrest of all the culprits involved. After assurance from the police, they dispersed.
According to the police, the two groups were playing Holi by throwing colours at each other when suddenly a brawl broke out between them.
The reason for the brawl was not known. The members of the two groups started attacking each other with sticks and water bottles, a senior police officer said.
As the situation turned violent, visitors who had come to the botanical garden panicked, triggering chaos at the public place, he said.
The matter was brought under control after the Horticulture Department officials alerted police which rushed to the spot.
The police and Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) personnel intervened and restored the law and order, the police said.
"A case was registered and we arrested three people on Saturday. Efforts are being made to arrest others who were involved in the incident," the police official added.
A #HoliCelebration at #Lalbagh Botanical Gardens spiraled into chaos late Friday evening as two #Nepali groups clashed violently, sending visitors into panic.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) March 16, 2025
The situation escalated into a full-blown gang fight, forcing the police and Karnataka State Reserve Police (#KSRP)… pic.twitter.com/angsMJOsN7
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
