Seven people were arrested in Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, late Wednesday night for allegedly raising pro-Palestine and anti-Israel slogans during a Muharram procession. The arrests followed the viral spread of a video showing the incident on social media.
According to the police, they are conducting raids to find others involved in the incident. The video clips from the procession have helped identify additional suspects.
“We have arrested seven people so far for raising objectionable slogans during the Muharram procession on Wednesday evening. The incident happened when the mourners, who had gathered at Buland Darwaza in Fatehpur Sikri, were on their way to Karbala to bury the Tazia. They stopped outside a house and raised slogans that could have disturbed communal harmony in the town,” said Sonam Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Agra (Rural).
The procession took place in an area with a diverse population, and extra police have been deployed to prevent any further issues.
Dinesh Kumar, the in-charge of the Sikri police outpost, has filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Fatehpur Sikri police station. “Our investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are possible. After the investigation, we will apply relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the accused,” added the DCP.
The 1.15-minute video shows mourners stopping outside a house in Sikri and chanting slogans as they moved forward.
Seven people in Agra’s Fatehpur Sikri have been arrested for allegedly shouting pro-Palestine and anti-Israel slogans during a Muharram procession. The arrests came after a video of the incident went viral. The police are searching for more suspects and have increased security in the area to maintain peace. An FIR has been filed, and further legal action will follow based on the investigation.