7 held in UP for raising pro-Pak slogans at 'jagran'

Six people, including two women, have been arrested for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans during a 'jagran', a programme dedicated to Goddess Durga, at a village in this district, police said on Wednesday.

A 15-year-old girl has also been detained in the incident which took place on Monday in Chauri village under the Parshurampur police station area, they said.

According to a complaint lodged 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.

"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," Ashish alleged in his complaint.

He further 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.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case on Tuesday 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, Basti Additional Superintendent of Police Deependra Nath Chaudhary said.

Police have detained the 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.

Chaudhary 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.