4 Lucknow boys charged with sedition for ‘burning tricolour’ while recording TikTok video

Police have arrested one of the accused and are on a lookout for others after the incident in Bazarkhala area of the state capital at around 9pm on Sunday.

Four boys were booked on charges of sedition for allegedly burning the tricolour while recording a video on popular mobile app TikTok in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow on Sunday night, police said on Monday.

All the accused are believed to be the residents of Bazarkhala area. The police have sought help from locals to identify the accused and for help in the investigation.(Reuters file photo)

Police have arrested one of the accused and are on a lookout for others after the incident in Bazarkhala area of the state capital at around 9pm on Sunday.

“A local resident, one Ravi Kant, was cycling near Tikait Rai Talab when he saw the boys burning the tricolour. Ravi Kant along with others who were playing near the park asked the boys to stop and called the police,” Anil Kumar Yadav, assistant commissioner of police of the area, said.

Based on the complaints by Ravi Kant, police lodged a first information report (FIR) under several sections, including 124(A) for sedition, of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the boys.

“Only one of the minor boys who was later arrested has been named in the FIR. The three others who managed to flee from the spot are booked as anonymous. Our teams are trying to identify and arrest them,” Yadav said.

All the accused are believed to be the residents of Bazarkhala area. The police have sought help from locals to identify the accused and for help in the investigation.

Yadav said beside sedition police have also slapped section 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult) 505 (statement conducing to public mischief), 352 (punishment for assault), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC.

“The accused have been booked as per the complaint submitted by Ravi Kant. Our teams are investigating the matter and the charges can be reduced or increased as per the findings in the investigation,” the official said.