Police in Srinagar have arrested two persons for allegedly raising Azadi slogans during a Muharram procession, officials said Thursday.
They said that those who raised slogans of Azadi during the Muharram procession were booked under the sedition law. While two persons were arrested, the police are on the lookout for others.
“Midnight raids (on Tuesday night) were conducted in which two persons have been arrested and further arrests are expected in the said case and the investigation is going on,” Srinagar police said in a statement.
The action was taken after a video surfaced on social media. “The mourners were found chanting pro Azadi slogans in a Jaloos-e-Aza (Muharram Procession). PS Parimpora has taken cognizance,” it said.
The police acted swiftly and identified the location which is situated at the end of Hokersar Nowpora Bund, on the outskirts of the city. Hokersar is a wetland some 10 km from the heart of Srinagar.
“The area is isolated and there was no history of organising any such unlawful gathering before, neither was there input of any gathering or procession nor was there any police presence, as the area is far from main Imambara,” the police said.
The statement said that some youth from the neighbouring area of Budgam led by Sajad Hussain Parray, Arif Ahmad Dar and Raja Mehboob, all residents of Gund Hassi Bhat, allegedly took advantage of the isolated area to assemble and raise pro-Azadi slogans.
{{/usCountry}}The statement said that some youth from the neighbouring area of Budgam led by Sajad Hussain Parray, Arif Ahmad Dar and Raja Mehboob, all residents of Gund Hassi Bhat, allegedly took advantage of the isolated area to assemble and raise pro-Azadi slogans.
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