Srinagar- The Jammu and Kashmir police have filed a case under stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against unknown persons for allegedly raising pro-Palestine and anti-Israel chants during 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar a day earlier.
Considering the act might upset the peaceful atmosphere in the city, sources said the police is likely to arrest as many attendees of the pro-Palestine rally in Srinagar in the next few days.
Sources said that several suspects from different areas of Srinagar were summoned to police stations for questioning vis-à-vis their participation in the rally.
All of them were later released, though, on the condition that they would assist with the inquiry and report to the police station as and when asked.
An open FIR 36 of 2024 stands registered at Kothibagh police station in accordance with Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) acts 223, 152, and 13 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Efforts to identify individuals who shouted anti-Israel and anti-American slogans during the 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar are currently on, sources told Kashmir Observer.
Terming the police action as ‘unwarranted and an assault on freedom of expression’, Member Parliament from Srinagar, Aga Syed Ruhulla Mehdi in a post on ‘X’ demanded immediate release of those allegedly arrested by the police.
“The Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested several youths for raising slogans in favor of the people of Palestine and carrying the Palestinian flag in a Muharram procession yesterday in Srinagar. This is an assault on freedom of expression, especially an expression in favor of the oppressed people. As conveyed through telephonic conversation, the police should release these men and avoid treating them as criminals,” Ruhullah wrote on X, formerly tweeter.
Following hectic deliberations with the representatives of the Shia community, the 8th Muharram procession was allowed in Srinagar for the second year in a row, according to a senior police officer, who confirmed the development, asserting the UT administration had taken serious note of pro-Palestine demonstrations.
However, as the case is still under investigation, no formal arrest has been made in this direction as yet, he added.
It is worth mentioning that mourners during the 8th Muharram procession which commenced from Guru Bazar locality of the city and culminated at Hussaini Hall Dalgate waved Palestinian flags as a mark of solidarity with people of that country.
Though the mourning procession culminated peacefully with the administration lauding the Shia Muslim community for their assistance to allow the religious event go off without a hitch, there were no reports of any violent incidents from anywhere in Srinagar that might have disturbed the peace.
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