UP: 6 held, including women, for raising pro-Pak slogans at jagran in Basti

In Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, at least six people, including two women, have been apprehended for allegedly raising ‘pro-Pakistan’ slogans during a ‘jagran’ – a programme dedicated to Goddess Durga, at a village in this district, said the police.

6 arrested for raising pro-Pakistan slogans at jagran in UP’s Basti

Among the six arrested, a 15-year-old girl has also been detained in the incident which happened on Monday in Chauri village under the Parshurampur police station area, they said.

According to a complaint filed by village head Ashish, the 'jagran' was being held on Monday evening when the girl came on the stage where idols of gods and goddesses were kept and started raising anti-India slogans.

What happened on Monday?

Ashish alleged in his complaint, “At around 11 pm, under a planned way, the girl (daughter of Suggan Ali) climbed the stage, threw a black cloth towards the idols, and started chanting slogans 'Islam zindabad', 'Pakistan zindabad' and 'Hindustan murdabad'. Her sister Sahiba and three brothers supported her. Her father Suggan Ali, mother Sahabuddin Nisha, along with Mohd Shami and Mohd Zakir Ali, also supported her.”

Further, he said that this act hurt the sentiments of the people who had gathered for the 'jagran' event. "When they were asked not to indulge in such acts, they threatened the Hindu community of dire consequences and also of riot," the village head said.

Case filed against accused

Based on the village head’s complaint, the district police have lodged a case against the girl, her sister Sahiba (18), three brothers including Arman (19), parents Suggan Ali (48) and Sahabuddin Nisha (42), and Mohd Shami (55) and Mohd Zakir Ali (50) under sections 153B (imputation, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC on Tuesday, Basti Additional Superintendent of Police Deependra Nath Chaudhary said.

Moreover, they also detained the accused girl, while her two minor brothers aged 10 and 8 years were let off, he said, adding her parents, one sister, one brother and two others have been arrested.

The SP said that the CCTV footage of the programme is being examined, and a police team has been formed to probe the incident. He added that a PAC unit has been deployed in the village.