Prophet remark row: 'Objectionable' Facebook post lands UP man in jail

Police in UP's Bulandshahr arrested a man who had allegedly shared an objectionable video on social media connected with the ongoing controversy over remarks made against Prophet Mohammad

Police in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr on Monday arrested a man who had allegedly shared an objectionable video on social media connected with the ongoing controversy related to certain remarks made against Prophet Mohammad, officials said.

The police have also cautioned the public against posting or sharing content on social media platforms that could lead to communal disharmony.

Nadeem Ansari, a resident of Khanpur town, had made an objectionable post on his Facebook account. The cognizance of the matter was taken immediately and an FIR was lodged at the local police station after which Ansari was arrested, Police Circle Officer (Syana) Vandana Sharma said.

Ansari, in his twenties, has been booked under Indian Penal Code section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 505 (public mischief), police said.

Sharma also appealed to Bulandshahr residents to refrain from making social media posts which are objectionable and could hurt religious sentiments.

The police are regularly monitoring social media platforms and if any person is found deliberately circulating posts that hurt religious sentiments or disturbing harmony, then legal action would be taken against such people, the officer said.

Multiple cities in Uttar Pradesh had witnessed communal protests after the Friday prayers on June 10 amid a raging controversy stoked due to alleged derogatory remarks on Prophet Mohammad by now-sacked BJP functionaries.

The state police have so far lodged 13 FIRs in nine districts in connection with the violent protests and arrested 336 suspects till Monday evening, according to officials.