Two held for ‘pro-Pak slogans’ after RJD win, video unverified

Araria police on Friday arrested two of the three youths charged with raising pro-Pakistan slogans near the residence of newly-elected RJD MP Sarfaraz Alam, but said they were yet to verify authenticity of the video on the basis of which the arrests were made. The police said they booked the three youths “merely on suspicion” of trying to “cause enmity between two communities” after one of them went live on Facebook during celebrations after results of Araria Lok Sabha bypoll were announced on March 14. None of the three youths is a primary member of RJD, said police.

Araria town residents Sultan Azmi and Shehzad said after their arrest that they “had not said anything objectionable”. Azmi, who runs a small shop, told local reporters, “We are telling police to see the video again. We are not seen saying anything objectionable. The voice seems to be coming from behind”.

Police on Thursday booked Azmi, Shehzad and Adib Raza, all of them aged between 20 and 25 years, after they were seen celebrating Alam’s win in a video that has gone viral. The 34-second video shows the youths, their faces smeared with colour. One of the three youths uses an expletive without naming anyone. “Pakistan jindabad” and “Bharat tere tukde honge” could be heard in the background.

The FIR, based on the complaint of Araria police station in-charge Deepankar Srigyan said “Pakistan jindabad” slogan was raised in the video. The youths have been booked under IPC and IT Act.