Ahmedabad: After video of confrontation, tenant family vacates home; man with Bajrang Dal links detained

A tenant family from Uttar Pradesh vacated their rented house in the Krishnanagar area of Ahmedabad earlier this week after a video showing a confrontation with a local man went viral on social media, police said. The man, identified as Ganesh Vanzara, has been placed under preventive detention.

According to Inspector V H Joshi of Krishnanagar police station, the incident took place about a week ago. “We haven’t received an official complaint, but Ganesh Vanzara was placed under preventive detention under Section 170 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS),” he said. Section 170 allows for detention to prevent the commission of a cognizable offence.

The video, which circulated widely on social media platforms, shows Vanzara approaching a member of the tenant family and asking for identification. In the footage, he can be heard referring to the person as the nephew of late Iranian leader Ali Khamenei and invoking the term “love jihad”. The family, originally from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh and of the Muslim faith, subsequently decided to leave the premises.

PSI DJ Solanki, the investigating officer, confirmed that the family had vacated the rented house. He noted that the video captured the interaction and that the references made by Vanzara were part of the footage. No first information report (FIR) has been registered as of now. The police action of preventive detention was taken to maintain public order and avert any potential breach of peace.

The term “love jihad” is often used by certain right-wing groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to marry non-Muslim women with the intent of religious conversion. Its use in the video added to communal overtones and drew widespread attention online. The family has not publicly commented on the matter, and their current whereabouts are unknown.

Police officials stated that they are monitoring the situation and will take further steps based on emerging facts and any formal complaint that may be filed. The incident has sparked discussions on social media about communal harmony and the responsible use of public platforms.

The case underscores the importance of constitutional values of secularism and the rule of law. Authorities have reiterated that any acts causing intimidation or targeting individuals based on religion will be dealt with according to legal provisions. The preventive detention of Vanzara is part of that effort pending a fuller inquiry.