Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Police today said it arrested 13 persons, mostly youth who chanted “anti-national slogans” here at historic Jamia Masjid post congregational Friday prayers.
Police said that the accused will be booked under Public Safety Act and dossiers are being prepared.
“We warn people that any attempt at disrupting peace will be viewed very seriously and strictest action under provisions of law will be taken against them,” police said.
“Yesterday afternoon, there were Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid wherein huge number of gathering took place, around twenty-four thousand persons attended the prayers, which is among largest in recent history. After culmination of the prayers about a dozen persons started anti-national and provocative sloganeering for while, this was joined by a couple of others as well, while most of the gathering remained aloof,” police said.
The police said that “there was also an altercation between the persons indulging in sloganeering and the volunteers of intezamia committee of Jamia Masjid who tried to stop such sloganeering and hooliganism.”
“This created a situation of ruckus inside the mosque leading to clashes between them. Later the hooligans were dispersed outside the mosque by volunteers. Even after coming outside from one gate, more than a dozen among them tried to provoke others by sloganeering which failed and in 2-3 minutes they dispersed in a hurry seeing police presence around,” the police said.
In this regard, police said, a case was registered in police station Nowhatta as FIR no 16/2022 under IPC sections 124A (sedition) and 447 (criminal trespass).
“During course of the investigation, police said, technical means were adapted to identify these hooligans and raids were conducted at different locations which led to arrest of two Main instigators of the sloganeering namely Basharat Nabi Bhat son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat of Hawal, Nowhatta and Umar Manzoor Sheikh son of Late Manzoor Sheikh of Bahuddin Saab, Nowhatta,” police said.
“Both were apprehended and formally arrested in the case,” police said adding that “11 more accused were subsequently arrested in this case who were involved in the sloganeering and hooliganism inside the Jamia Masjid and at the gate.”
“Many more suspected persons are being examined and will be formally arrested as soon as their role clearly comes forth in this case. PSA dossiers of all these accused are being prepared for booking them under PSA act as well, in addition to case,” police said.
“It also came out during initial investigation that the accused in furtherance of a well-planned conspiracy had received instructions from Pakistani handlers of militant outfits to disrupt Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid and create law and order situation by provoking the attendees. Thus section 120B was also invoked in this case,” police said.
The investigation, in this case, is undergoing at fast pace and some more arrests are likely,” police said, adding, “Police informs all citizens that any attempt at disrupting peace will be viewed very seriously, strictest action under provisions of law will be taken against all those who get involved in such illegal activities.”
In addition to this, police said, “no attempt at using religious places for furthering anti-national and terrorist agenda will be tolerated at all.” “Lastly, parents are also advised to keep a watch on the company of their children, indulging in such activities may cause irreparable damage to career prospects,” police added.