Ghaziabad: Man held for banners calling for boycott of Muslim traders

Police said that banners and posters were put up in Nandgram locality and near a farmhouse and that they were removed while two cases have been filed

Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) members reciting Hanuman Chalisa on Monday staged a protest outside Ghaziabad’s Nandgram police station demanding the release of a person held for allegedly putting up banners and posters calling for a boycott of Muslim traders late on Sunday.

Hindu groups staged a protest outside a police station demanding the release of the man arrested. (HT Photo)

Police said that banners and posters put up in Nandgram locality and near a farmhouse were removed and that two cases were filed under Indian Penal Code’s Sections 147 (rioting), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race), 295 (damage or defilement of a place of worship or an object held sacred with intent to insult religion) and 298 (words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings).

“We filed the cases after the posters and banners were put up at several places and also spread on social media. These have been removed for maintaining law and order. We have detained one person [Sagar Chauhan] for questioning. Our teams are active in the area and keeping a close watch. We will not allow any deterioration of law and order,” said deputy police commissioner (city) Nipun Agarwal

Bajrang Dal’s Ghaziabad convener Neeraj Bajrangi said the protest was held against Chauhan’s detention. He claimed Chauhan was forcibly taken away from his house late Sunday night. “Police also misbehaved with women of his family. We demand his immediate release and action against police officers who misbehaved.” He added the posters and banners did not mention any specific community.

Agarwal denied Bajrangi’s allegations.

VHP Ghaziabad president Alok Garg said they told police that they should find the people who have put up the banners and posters. “The banners mention no names...[Chauhan] should be let off and they should scrap the non-bailable and stringent sections involved against him.”

On August 2, VHP and Bajrang Dal took out marches in Ghaziabad following the communal violence in Haryana.