Khandwa/Rajgarh (MP), Jul 18 (PTI) Police have apprehended at least three persons in Khandwa city of Madhya Pradesh for allegedly waving a Palestinian flag during a Muharram procession, officials said on Thursday.
In Rajgarh district of the state, the police picked up a minor boy after he was seen in a video purportedly raising the flag of the west Asian country, but he was let off after questioning, they said.
Muslims took out tazia processions across the country on Wednesday and offered special prayers as they observed Muharram — the martyrdom of Imam Hussain Ali. Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD with mourning rituals.
Talking to PTI on Thursday, Khandwa Superintendent of Police Manoj Rai said, “We have picked up at least three persons after a prominent leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) lodged a complaint with us that a Palestinian flag was waved during a Muharram procession, which it alleged was done to whip up communal frenzy.” The police are questioning the apprehended persons to know the motive, he said.
“We will act in accordance with the law,” Rai said.
In Rajgarh, a minor was picked up by the police after a video showed him waving a Palestinian flag during a Muharram procession in the city. But he was let off after questioning, Sub Divisional Officer of Police Upendra Bhati said.
The police in both these districts, however, denied that these flags were of militant Islamist group Hamas. They also said that no anti-Israel slogans were raised during the processions.
But eyewitnesses said that some people raised anti-Israel slogans at Shivaji Chowk in Khandwa city during the procession.
Similar incidents were reported in a few other states of the country.
In Jharkhand, the police on Thursday arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly waving a Palestinian flag during a Muharram procession in the state’s Dumka district. Another person was also detained in this connection.
In West Bengal, senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has shared on social media a video purportedly showing a flag of Palestine being waved during a procession in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district and demanded police action. PTI COR LAL NP
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