Two tourists were arrested on Tuesday on the charge of indulging in offensive behaviour in an inebriated state while riding a shikara on Srinagar’s Dal Lake.
The Srinagar Police said: “Two accused persons have been arrested while more suspects are being questioned. Further investigation into the matter is underway. The Srinagar Police took cognisance of the matter after a video of unidentified individuals indulging in offensive behaviour while aboard a shikara on Dal Lake in an inebriated state went viral across social media platforms”.
The police have registered an FIR in the Ram Munshi Bagh police station.
The video of tourists consuming liquor in the shikara went viral triggering a controversy earlier this week. It led to strong reactions from religious leaders and politicians in the valley.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulma (MMU) led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq decried public consumption of alcohol on the Dal Lake.
The MMU appealed to hotel owners, houseboat owners, and shikara operators to keep an eye on such wrongdoings and refrain from indulging in this un-Islamic and immoral practice for profit.
It also appealed to the tourists to respect the moral and religious ethos of Kashmir.
The National Conference, scholars, and various other political parties also condemned the unethical behaviour of these tourists and demanded strict action against them.