A group of social media influencers was arrested in Jaipur, Rajasthan after a video of them distributing alcohol on the road during Nirjala Ekadashi went viral. Nirjala Ekadashi is an important and holy day for Hindus, and many people were upset by the video.The video shows influencer Lappu Sachin (real name Sachin Singh) and six others handing out beer bottles and glasses to people on a busy street. In one case, they even gave alcohol to an auto driver and made him drive after drinking.

The seven people arrested are Sachin Singh, Pradeep Kadwasra, Vikas Verma, Abhishek Nirmal, Sunil Kumar, Aditya Mahariya, and Ankit Meghwal. While some people on the road were uncomfortable, others laughed and joined them.The police acted after someone reported the video to them on social media. The person posted on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Hello Jaipur police. These boys are stopping people on the road and making them drink and drive. Find all of them and let them have a taste of jail for a few days."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South), Digant Anand, confirmed that the video was recorded on Nirjala Ekadashi and said that the act hurt religious sentiments. During questioning, the arrested youths told the police that they didn’t mean to offend anyone and only made the video to get more followers on social media. Later, they posted an apology video where they were seen holding their ears and kneeling on the ground. Some of them had torn or messy clothes, which raised questions about whether they were mistreated while in police custody.

Rajasthan BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bharadwaj shared their apology video online and commented, “They were distributing beer on the streets in style for a reel. Jaipur Police taught them a lesson.” In India, drinking or giving out alcohol in public places is not allowed in most states. Driving after drinking is also a serious offence. According to the Motor Vehicles Act (Section 185), if someone is caught drunk driving, they can be fined up to ₹10,000 or sent to jail for up to two years.

Each state has its alcohol laws, and selling or sharing alcohol without a proper licence is illegal. During religious occasions like Nirjala Ekadashi, many states declare a “dry day,” which means the sale and use of alcohol are completely banned.