Varanasi police call a viral temple dance video AI-generated
The force says the clip was circulated to damage its image, and a case has been registered over it while the festival it claims to show stays under scrutiny.
Key takeaways
- Varanasi Police said a viral clip that appeared to show two women dancing at the Lat Bhairav temple complex during the Baba Lat Bhairav Barat was AI-generated.
- Police said the clip was being circulated to tarnish the force's image, and that in crowd-shot mobile video from the event, officers visible in the background of the viral clip do not appear on any screen.
- The five-day Baba Lat Bhairav Barat celebrations ran from September 23 to 27, 2026; temple-linked people said performances associated with the festival are a long-standing tradition.
- Hindustan Times reported that an FIR was registered at Adampur police station against unidentified people over circulating the video.
Varanasi Police say a viral video that appeared to show two women dancing at the Lat Bhairav temple complex during a religious festival is AI-generated, and that the clip was made to damage the force.
The video spread on social media with captions about police personnel standing by, apparently watching or filming the performance during the Baba Lat Bhairav Barat, the annual procession that marks the divine wedding of Baba Lat Bhairav with Goddess Bhairavi. This year the five-day celebrations ran from September 23 to 27.
The clip drew criticism from political and civil society groups before the police addressed it. The Times of India reported the Samajwadi Party's media cell used the footage to attack the state government over what it described as vulgar performances at temple premises and during religious events.
The police answer is that the clip is not footage of the event at all. "The above video is AI-generated and is being circulated with the intention of tarnishing the image of the police," the force said in its statement. It added that in the mobile videos members of the crowd actually recorded, the policemen the viral clip shows in the background of the frame "is not visible on any screen". Police said they would register a case over circulating the clip, and Hindustan Times reported an FIR was registered at Adampur police station against unidentified people.
Not everyone has accepted the denial as the end of it. The Times of India reported that Sanatan Rakshak Dal president Ajay Sharma argued the performances themselves have been introduced in recent years and should not happen at the temple. An advocate, Vikas Singh, said the question was less about a dance than about officers seen filming on duty, and asked for an impartial inquiry. Temple-linked people maintained that performances by nagar vadhus are part of the festival's long-standing practice.
No named accused and no published analysis: the case at Adampur police station over circulating the clip is where the matter stands.
Sources
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com - the police statement in full, the festival dates, the temple authorities' position and the political reaction
- hindustantimes.com - the AI-generated finding and the FIR at Adampur police station