'Obscene dances' performed to mark Mangal Pande's anniversary

Locals here in the native town of Mangal Pandey, the 1857 sepoy mutiny icon, alleged that obscene dances were performed to mark his death anniversary, prompting the district authorities to order a probe.
Yesterday, on the Jayanti of Mangal Pandey, various functions were organised here. However, locals today alleged that last night bar dancers staged obscene dances.
District Administration today ordered a probe into the matter and promised to take action against those behind it, sources said.
"An inquiry has been ordered into the complaint and in case it is found to be true, action would be taken against the organisers," District Magistrate Satya Narain Srivastava said.

The officer said that organising such programme in Ballia, the native district of the great martyr, is shameful.
However, secretary of Shahid Mangal Pandey Smarak Samiti, Raj Kumar Pandey, when contacted, rejected the charges saying the dance was part of the musical competition and so was necessary.
The cultural programme commenced in the night in which a "chaita mukabala " (cultural competition) on Mangal Pandey took place between groups from Jharkhand and Bihar and late in the night dance based competition was held, he added.