FIR against three for balloons with ‘pro-Pakistan’ message

The FIR was registered on June 29 against the two balloon sellers, Ajay Aman Pawar and Shivaji Pawar, members of a nomadic tribe, and Tanveer Bagwan, from whom they allegedly bought the balloons, under IPC sections relating to promoting enmity between groups and acts intended to outrage religious feelings.

The FIR was registered by the Vijapur Naka police station in Solapur based on a complaint by Police Naik Ganesh Shirke, who was on bandobast duty at Alamgir Eidgah in the town on Eid-ul-Adha last Thursday. According to Shirke’s statement, as people started leaving after namaz, some of them noticed the balloon from among a bunch and took the balloon seller to Shrike.

In his complaint, Shirke said as the crowd gathered around the seller, the balloon in contention burst. Shirke said that Aman’s packet of balloons had at least one balloon that was green in colour with the Pakistan flag on it and with “Happy Independence Day” written in Urdu.

The FIR said that during questioning, Aman, 20, a resident of Pardhi Colony at Vijapur Road, said he and Shivaji bought balloons from Tanveer Bagwan, who owned the New Roshan Toy store in Solapur.

The two balloon sellers told police that they were unlettered and could not read what was written on the balloons.

Shirke said that at that point, a crowd started gathering at the spot, following which the police took the two balloon sellers to the police station.

The FIR further reads, “Ajay Aman Pawar and Shivaji Laxman Pawar with an intention to create trouble between Hindu and Muslim communities sold the said balloons to the general public. This would lead to enmity between the two communities and destroy peace between the two communities. Hence, I have a complaint against the balloon sellers and the shop owner Bagwan.”

Solapur Police Commissioner Rajendra Mane told The Indian Express, “No arrests have been made in the case. We have issued them notices.”

The officer added that as part of the probe, they are trying to see where the balloons were sourced from.

The officer said that when questioned, Bagwan told them that the balloons were purchased from a shop in Mumbai. “When our team went to the particular shop, the owner was unwell but his son told us that it was purchased from ‘China market’ in Mumbai. However, the market was shut when our officers reached there. Our officers will be going there again to find out where the balloons were sourced from,” the officer added.

Local AIMIM leader Riyaz Sayyad said, “This is a serious issue and appears to be a deliberate ploy to vitiate the atmosphere on Eid. We have asked the police to take strict action against those responsible.”