Police have arrested two persons and booked them under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for raising pro-Azadi (pro-freedom) slogans during a Muharram procession in Srinagar while a hunt has been launched to arrest others.
The FIR and arrests have taken place after a video of the Muharram procession went viral in which mourners were seen chanting pro-freedom slogans.
“On surfacing of a video in social media in which mourners were found chanting pro-Azadi slogans in a Jaloos-e-Aza (Muharram procession), Police Station Parimpora has taken cognisance,” police said here.
Police said that they “acted swiftly” and identified the location which is situated at the end of Hokersar Nowpora Bund, about 2.5 kms inside the Hokersar road.
“The area is isolated and there was no history of organising any such
unlawful gathering before, neither was there input of any gathering/procession nor was there any police presence, as the area is far from main Imambara,” police said.
“It has been revealed that some boys from adjoining area of Budgam led by Sajad Hussain Parray S/o Mohd Yousuf Parray R/o Nawpora Gund Hassi Bhat, Arif Ahmad Dar S/O Muhammad Akbar Dar R/o Gund Hassi Bhat near J&K Bank and Raja Mehboob S/o Mehboob Hussain R/O Gund Hassi Bhat took advantage of the area and assembled here and raised pro-Azadi slogans.”
A case has been registered under FIR No. 177/2020 U/S 13 UAPA Act 143, 188, 269 IPC against the above accused. Midnight raids were conducted in which two persons have been arrested and further arrests are expected in the said case and the investigation is going on,” police said.