A case has been registered after a video went viral in which some people can be seen tonsuring a man, apparently a Nepali national, and forcing him to say "Jai Shri Ram" and "Nepal PM Murdabad".
The police said that Arun Pathak, convenor of Vishwa Hindu Sena, is behind the act.
"A video has gone viral in which Arun Pathak, a person who runs an organisation, was seen tonsuring a man's head. Pathak did it in anger over a statement by Nepal PM. A case has been registered and efforts are on to nab the person," said Vikas Chandra Tripathi, Superintendent of Police, Varanasi City.
In the viral video, the man is seated cross-legged near a river and is made to shout slogans against "Vishwa Hindu Sena Zindabad", "Hindustan Zindabad" and "Nepal PM Murdabad".
'Jai Shri Ram' has also been written on the man's scalp by the members of the group.
Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Pathak said that one of the accused in the incident has been arrested and efforts are underway to nab others as well.
"One of the persons involved in the incident has been arrested. He was the one who shot the video. Others are also being nabbed and strict action will be taken. Arun Pathak, who runs an organisation is the main accused. Others are members of his organisation. Pathak posted the video on social media," he said.
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had claimed that Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Rama, is in Nepal and Lord Rama was Nepali.
"Although real Ayodhya lies at Thori, city in the west of Birgunj, India has claimed that Lord Rama was born there. Due to these continuous claims even we have believed that deity Sita got married to Prince Rama of India. However, in reality, Ayodhya is a village lying west of Birgunj," he had said.
Nepal foreign ministry had later sought to downplay the row over Oli's remarks and said the prime minister "was simply highlighting the importance of further studies" and the remarks were not meant to debasing the significance of Ayodhya and the cultural value it bears."
