A biryani shop owner was arrested on 12th September in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu for putting up a promotional banner outside his restaurant that showed Lord Ganesha cooking and eating chicken biryani. The banner, displayed near the V.M. Chathiram Bridge, was put up as part of a special offer ahead of Vinayagar Chaturthi and triggered objections from local residents and Hindu organisations.
According to the police complaint, the banner outside the ‘Dindigul Kalyana Biryani’ outlet on the Tirunelveli–Tiruchendur main road showed Lord Ganesha preparing and eating biryani. The advertisement promoted “Arabic-style Chicken 65 Biryani” for ₹99, with the offer valid on 13th and 14th September. The exact date when the banner was put up was not specified.
सनातन का अपमान नहीं सहेगा हिंदुस्तान
— The Hindu Association (@HinduAsociation) September 15, 2026
तिरुनेलवेली में बिरयानी दुकान के विज्ञापन में भगवान गणेश को बिरयानी पकाते हुए दिखाया
स्थानीय हिंदुओं का सड़क पर जोरदार विरोध
पुलिस ने विवादित विज्ञापन हटाया और दुकान
मालिक को गिरफ्तार कर लिया
हिंदू आस्था से खिलवाड़ बिल्कुल बर्दाश नहीं pic.twitter.com/ZyguNqOteA
Hindu organisations object to banner
The depiction of the Hindu deity in an advertisement for non-vegetarian food drew objections from Hindus and members of the Hindu Munnani. Office-bearers, members and cadres of the organisation, along with local residents, gathered outside the restaurant and demanded that the banner be removed.
The protesters said the use of Lord Ganesha’s image in connection with a chicken biryani promotion was offensive and hurt Hindu religious sentiments. The issue also caused a brief commotion outside the shop, while the banner later circulated on social media.
Tirunelveli city police reached the spot and removed the banner. A video from the incident showed a police officer climbing onto the reception counter to take down the large advertisement. Police officials also warned the shop owner against putting up advertisements that could hurt religious sentiments and assured Hindu Munnani representatives that appropriate action would be taken.
Complaint filed, shop owner arrested
Following the incident, Selvaraj, 42, a resident of Narasinganallur, lodged a complaint at the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital police station. In his complaint, he said that the banner showing Lord Ganesha eating biryani insulted the Hindu deity and hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
Based on the complaint, police began an inquiry into the preparation and display of the advertisement and examined the purpose behind using the image of Lord Ganesha.
Police subsequently arrested Jayanth, a resident of KTC Nagar, who owns the biryani shop. He was arrested on Sunday, 13th October, under Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
A similar controversy involving the depiction of Hindu deities in promotional material was also seen during the Vishu day celebrations in Keralam. In April 2026, police arrested two men in connection with sharing on WhatsApp a restaurant’s Vishu-day promotional poster depicting a young Lord Krishna sitting before a serving of ‘kuzhi manthi’ – an Arabian non-vegetarian dish.
