FIR against SDPI activists for ‘raising provocative slogans’ in Patna

The FIR said that people were defying lockdown orders and trying to stir up communal tension in the area.

The Bihar police on Saturday registered an FIR against four named and 40 unidentified members of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) who allegedly raised provocative slogans during an unauthorised procession in the Phulwarisharif police station area of Patna on Friday.

Police personnel detain SDPI Supporters during a protest against Tripura government over various demands near Tripura Bhawan, in New Delhi. (Representational image/ANI)

The FIR said that people were defying lockdown orders and trying to stir up communal tension in the area.

SDPI is said to be the political outfit of the Islamic organisation Popular Front of India (PFI).

Police said that the members of SDPI took out a procession on Friday against the alleged violence in Tripura where a mosque was vandalised and shops and houses were attacked during a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) rally on Tuesday afternoon.

The members tried to enter the main market when there was a hustle between policemen and protestors. More than 100 members of SDPI staged the protest condemning the violence in Tripura and the state police which allegedly did not stop the violence. The procession started from Ishapur and concluded near the police station roundabout. However, the members of the SDPI were not paying heed to the police’s appeals and were continuing their activities.

SHO of Phulwarisharif police station Rafique-Ur-Rahman said that an FIR has been lodged on the statement of Circle Officer Chandan Kumar against Engineer Ehsan Parvej, general secretary of the SDPI, besides Athar Parvej, Sabbir Mallik, Mohammad Sarfaraj and Kaushar Bano.

“An FIR was lodged under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligently doing any act known to be likely to spread infection of any disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life, 153 (giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 353 (assault or use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), Section ¾ of the Epidemic Act and Section 51 of Disaster Management Act,” said the SHO.