After days of mounting public outrage and multiple police complaints, local Birha folk singer Saroj Sargam was finally arrested by Mirzapur Police for allegedly making derogatory remarks against maa Durga in one of her YouTube videos. The arrest comes nearly five days after the controversy erupted during Sharadiya Navratri, a time of high religious sentiment in the Hindu community.
Saroj Sargam, a resident of the Madihan area of Mirzapur, had been uploading regional Birha songs on her YouTube channel, “Saroj Sargam Mirzapur,” which had accumulated 63,000 subscribers and featured over 40 videos. One of her recent videos, however, sparked fury among devotees for allegedly insulting maa Durga and glorifying the demon Mahishasura, traditionally depicted in Hindu mythology as a symbol of evil.
After 7 FIRs & 5 days of outrage, Mirzapur Police finally arrests Saroj Sargam for abusing Goddess Durga. 🚨
UP Police also booked her husband — involved in directing/distributing the videos.
Initial investigation also revealed they illegally occupied 15 acres of forest land-… pic.twitter.com/qGCiTZFGHK
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) September 23, 2025
Objectionable lyrics and public backlash
In the now-deleted video, Saroj allegedly sang verses that contained vulgar and abusive references to maa Durga, with some of the language deemed highly offensive by religious organisations. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and several other Hindu groups launched a protest campaign demanding her arrest.
According to the police, even the video thumbnail contained obscene and abusive language targeted at Hindu maa, which further inflamed public anger. Outraged netizens took to social media to demand swift action against Saroj, accusing her of intentionally hurting religious sentiments.
Legal action and arrest
A total of eight FIRs have been registered against Saroj Sargam so far, seven in Uttar Pradesh and one in Madhya Pradesh. Several of these were filed under sections related to hurting religious sentiments, cybercrime, and promoting enmity between communities.
On September 24, Mirzapur police finally arrested Saroj Sargam and her husband, Rammilan Bind, who is believed to have played a role in the production and distribution of the controversial videos. The arrest was confirmed by Mirzapur SSP Somen Burma, who stated that the cybercrime unit had removed the offending video, and the couple was taken into custody for further investigation.
The controversy took a new turn when authorities uncovered that the singer and her husband had allegedly encroached on over 15 acres of protected forest land in Mirzapur. Following their arrest, local officials inspected the site and reclaimed the illegally occupied land. A separate case has been registered against them for this encroachment. The district administration has vowed to take strict legal action not only for the religious insult case but also for the land grabbing charges, which are now under investigation.
As a result of the controversy and legal actions, all videos from Saroj’s YouTube channel have now been removed, and the channel appears to be inactive. Meanwhile, police have also begun questioning Saroj’s family members to investigate their possible involvement in the creation and promotion of such content.
Authorities in other states, including Madhya Pradesh, are also expected to take coordinated action based on the FIRs filed within their jurisdictions. More legal proceedings may follow depending on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
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