Journalist Piyush Rai is among nine persons booked for sharing a video, which the police claim was old but was presented as a recent Holi celebration in Mathura-Vrindavan.

The FIR was lodged on February 28 at Barsana police station in Mathura district. According to the complaint, the video was shared on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and X on February 26 and 27. 

On February 27, Piyush posted the video on X, writing: “I don’t like crowded places, and I try to discourage others from going there. This is the only way to save lives, in my opinion.”

Responding to his post, Mathura Police said the video was old and that no such incident had been reported this year. It urged the public not to circulate last year’s videos or photographs and warned of legal action against those spreading rumours. Subsequently, the police registered a case under Sections 196(2) and 353(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, along with Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act.

Several journalists criticised the FIR.

Rohini Singh questioned the police action on Instagram, asking whether crime had ended in Uttar Pradesh and arguing that instead of intimidating journalists, authorities should focus on preventing mob violence.

Saurabh Shukla of The Red Mic said filing an FIR against Piyush Rai exposed the police’s “weakness”, adding that authorities were targeting those who highlight concerns about women’s safety instead of addressing them.

Journalist Sachin Gupta also defended Piyush, saying that while the video may have been old, crowd conditions in Barsana and Vrindavan remain similar year after year. 

Senior Superintendent of Police Shlok Kumar told Newslaundry that action will be taken after the probe. “His post was about crowding. However, he also shared an old video. Others have shared videos suggesting the current atmosphere in Mathura and Vrindavan during Holi was tense. Information is still being gathered. Action will be taken only after further investigation,” he said.

Piyush, meanwhile, said his intention was to caution people about overcrowding. “Whether it is the Kumbh Mela or the incident after RCB’s IPL win, such accidents are caused by uncontrolled crowds. Whenever such occasions arise, I tweet to warn people not to join the crowd. That was my intention this time as well. However, the police have taken it differently,” he told Newslaundry.

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