Key Points:
A Kerala restaurant owner of Mehr Mandi & Grills was arrested after posting a Vishu poster involving Lord Krishna sitting in front of Kuzhimandhi, a non-vegetarian dish.
Accused Arshad and Shamnas have been booked under Section 192 of the BNS.
The poster immediately sparked outrage, with several people calling it “objectionable,” “disrespectful,” and “intentional.”
On April 17, 2026, the Cherthala police in Alappuzha arrested two men linked to a restaurant over an advertisement for Vishu, a Hindu festival predominantly celebrated in Kerala. The ad featured Kuzhimandhi, a non-vegetarian dish, alongside an animated depiction of Lord Krishna.
It quickly went viral, sparking widespread controversy for hurting religious sentiments. The accused were associated with a restaurant named Mehr Mandi & Grills, co-owned by Mohammed Shemir.
According to ThePrint, Shemir is the son of a politician from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The accused arrested following the controversy were identified as Arshad and Shamnas. Both have been booked under Section 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with individuals who intentionally incite others to cause riots.
The now-viral advertisement of Mehr Mandi & Grills was posted on the auspicious occasion of Vishu, during which Lord Krishna is worshipped. The post included a message wishing everyone “Happy Vishu—Mehr’s wishes to everyone,” along with an image of Lord Krishna sitting in front of a non-vegetarian dish. The poster immediately sparked outrage, with several people calling it “objectionable,” “disrespectful,” and “intentional.”
As per the FIR, the post was shared with the intent of hurting Hindu sentiments. According to reports, the poster was initially circulated through WhatsApp on April 15, 2026, the day of the festival. The depiction of Lord Krishna immediately drew backlash, prompting one of the co-owners of the restaurant, Shemir, to release a public apology video.
In the video, he claimed that the poster had been outsourced and that the mistake was made by the designer. He said, “Please forgive me… Forgive us for causing mental distress to our brothers and sisters, even if unintentionally.”
Following the debacle, Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan reacted to the viral Vishu post, stating that he respects all religious sentiments. “Therefore, I request all those who are trying to teach me to respect mine as well. There is a limit to everything. Please learn to respect the feelings of believers. This is complete hatred,” he added.
See Also: Left vs Right: How Kannur Became the Epicenter of Political Violence in Kerala
Many users dismissed the owner’s apology video and questioned the “basic cultural sense” of both the designers and the owners who approved it. The comments later raised questions about what would have happened if the situation had been reversed.
One user on X blamed Keralites, writing, “Why are they still not awake? Wake up and smell the coffee.” Several accounts also reposted the viral post by Mehr, which was criticised by another user, who wrote, “By displaying this image on social media like this, aren’t you repeating the same mistake they made? Isn’t this like committing a wrong act to say that it is wrong?”
Another comment read, “The creation of this poster cannot be seen as innocent; its design clearly reveals their true mindset. Imagine if this had happened in another community—people would be shouting that secularism is dead. Yet, when Hindus face an issue, everyone is silent.”
One X user stated that such behaviour is being normalised in society. They added, “In the end, society loses the knowledge of right and wrong rooted in its cultural and religious values—a process of losing real identity, after which the decline begins.”
[VS]
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