Kerala police on Tuesday recorded the arrest of one person in connection with a case relating to alleged provocative slogans raised by a minor boy during a march organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Alappuzha, a purported video of which had gone viral.
According to reports, Erattupetta resident Anas was arrested and PFI district president Navas was under custody, police said.
“We have recorded the arrest of the person who was carrying the child on his shoulders. Navas is under custody and is being questioned”.
In the FIR, based on a complaint filed by Vijayakumar P K, police have included various sections of the IPC and the Kerala Police Act and arraigned PFI Alappuzha district secretary Mujeeb and Navas as accused along with other identifiable persons.
A short video of a boy sitting on the shoulder of a person during “Save the Republic” rally held by the PFI in Alappuzha on May 21 and raising allegedly provocative slogans has gone viral on social media.
Sections 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 295-A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class), 505 (1) (b) (act against the public tranquility), 505 (1) (c), 505 (2) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and 120 (o) of KP Act are included in the FIR.
The provocative sloganeering by the child has drawn flak from various quarters.
Leader of Opposition and Congress leader V D Satheesan has said that the stand of the government was “disappointing”.
