Japanese tourists wearing Santa caps, swimwear made to apologise on Christmas at Varanasi ghat: 'This is our Holy river'

A VIDEO showing local residents allegedly mistreating Japanese tourists in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi has triggered a debate on social media. The incident took place on December 25, when devotees confronted the tourists near the Ganga River, where they were reportedly preparing to take a bath.

In the viral clip, the Japanese tourists are seen wearing Santa caps, while one of them is dressed in red-coloured swimwear. According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, a group of local residents stopped the tourists and accused them of urinating in the river.

The video captures a man telling the tourists, “Don’t you have common sense? This is our Holy River. So many people are taking a bath here. Fold your hands and apologise.” The group also asked one of the tourists to contact his tour guide.

As tensions rose and the tourists appeared distressed, one of the Japanese visitors apologised on the steps of Dashashwamedh Ghat.

The video soon spread widely on social media, prompting mixed reactions. Many users criticised the locals for their behaviour. “I’m not concluding who is right or wrong here. But since they are guests of the country, we can express the concern respectfully without being rude to anyone. And it would be really great if people showed the same commitment when it comes to stopping others from littering in the same holy river,” one user wrote.

Another commented, “As an indian, even I'm ashamed of our people in many cases. Apologies for their behaviour.” A third user said, “This happened at a religious ghat in Varanasi, not a beach. Changing into bikinis at a sacred site offends local religious sensibilities.”

After the video went viral, the Varanasi police issued a clarification from the official social media account of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Kashi. “Japanese tourists were questioned by other pilgrims over bathing. The tourists apologised, after which the matter was resolved peacefully. Police clarified that no physical assault took place,” the statement said, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar.

Atul Anjaan Tripathi, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Varanasi, said a brief argument occurred due to a misunderstanding between the two sides. He added that both parties later spoke to each other, apologised, and settled the matter at the spot.

The ACP also said that neither side filed a formal complaint. Police are continuing to review the incident to gain a clearer understanding of the circumstances that led to the dispute, the report added.