Over 350 Shiv Sena activists held in Varanasi

They were going to the Kashi Vishwanath temple to offer prayers. En masse prayers are banned in the city.

Around 350 Shiv Sena workers were arrested from different parts of Varanasi while they were proceeding towards Kashi Vishwanath temple for offering prayers on the occasion of Shivratri, police said.

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The arrests were made from Luxa, Sigra, Ansphatak, Ram Nagar and Mugasarai police circle areas.

En masse jalabhishek and prayers have been banned by the district administration at the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Shringar Gauri temple adjacent to Gyanvapi mosque.

Meanwhile, over one lakh devotees offered jalabhishekh and prayers in different Shiv temples across the city amidst tight security arrangements.

The administration had made elaborate security arrangements with deployment of 12 companies of PAC and RAF and over 100 civil police personnel.