Srinagar: Police on Thursday arrested 13 persons on charges of sedition and criminal trespass for raising anti-India Slogans at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar following Friday prayers.
Police said dossiers have been prepared and all of them are being booked under PSA to 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.
On Friday, huge gathering took place for congregational prayers, around twenty four thousand persons attended the prayers as the prayers culminated, dozens of people raised anti-India slogans which was joined by others as well while most of the gathering remained aloof.
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The police said that there was also altercation between the persons indulging in sloganeering and the volunteers of intezamia committee of Jamia Masjid who tried to stop such sloganeering.
“This created a situation of ruckus inside the mosque leading to clashes between them."
Later the hooligans were dispersed outside the mosque by volunteers, police said.
Even after coming outside from one gate, more than a dozen among them tried to provoke others for further sloganeering but failed as they witnessed poilce presence, police added.
In this regard, 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 investigation, police said, technical means were adapted to identify these people and raids were conducted at different locations which led to arrest of two Main instigators namely Basharat Nabi Bhat son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat, resident of Hawal, Nowhatta and Umar Manzoor Sheikh son of Late Manzoor Sheikh of Bahuddin Saab, Nowhatta.
“Both were apprehended and formally arrested in the case”.
Eleven (11) more accused were subsequently arrested in this case who were involved in the sloganeering inside the jamia masjid, police said in a statement.
“Many more suspected persons are being examined and will be formally arrested as soon as their role clearly comes forth in this case," the statement reads.
"It was a well planned conspiracy and 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," it said.
Thus section 120B was also invoked in this case, police said.
“Investigation in this case is undergoing at fast pace and some more arrests are likely,” police said.
"Using religious places for furthering anti-national and (militant) agenda will be tolerated at all," police said.
(GNS)
