2 held for Vishu poster showing Lord Krishna with non-veg food

Two individuals have been arrested in Kerala for sharing a WhatsApp poster that depicted Lord Krishna alongside a non-vegetarian dish, sparking controversy and accusations of hurting religious sentiments.

Two persons were arrested on Friday in connection with sharing on WhatsApp a restaurant's Vishu-day promotional poster depicting a young Lord Krishna sitting before a serving of 'kuzhi manthi' -- an Arabian non-vegetarian dish, police said.

Arrests Made Over Controversial Poster

An officer of Cherthala police station said that the two accused were booked for the offence under section 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and their arrests were recorded.

According to the first information report (FIR), the accused shared the poster on the WhatsApp to allegedly hurt religious sentiments of the Hindu community.

Restaurant Apologises Amidst Protests

In view of reports of a protest march in the evening by a Hindu organisation to the restaurant, located at Cherthala in Alappuzha, police are taking precautionary steps to prevent any untoward incident, the officer said.

Meanwhile, the owner of restaurant publicly apologised for the incident of the controversial poster being shared on WhatsApp.

In a video aired on TV channels, the owner claimed that the work for making the poster was given to a third party which in its lack of wisdom made such a controversial image.

He further said that the controversial poster was not used by the restaurant in any of its promotional campaigns or on its social media handles.

Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code is often invoked in similar cases involving alleged insults to religious beliefs.

The investigation will likely involve tracing the origin of the poster and assessing the intent behind its creation and dissemination.

Such incidents can inflame communal tensions, particularly in regions with a history of religious sensitivity.