The Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a case under the strict Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against unknown individuals for allegedly raising Hezbollah flags and shouting slogans during the 8th Muharram procession on Monday in Srinagar.
Police stated that the FIR was registered because the procession violated guidelines issued by the administration.
Thousands of Shia mourners attended the procession, which passed through the centre of Srinagar.
“Some issues did not comply with the conditions set for the 8th Muharram procession.
We have taken legal action regarding these matters and informed the organisers to cooperate and avoid such actions,” said Inspector General of Police, Kashmir V K Birdi. He did not disclose whether anyone had been detained in connection with the case.
Sources reported that the FIR was registered at the Kothibagh Police Station under the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) acts, including the UAPA.
Several youths were summoned by the police during the investigation.
Additionally, Shia mourners carried Palestinian flags during their march in the city centre, symbolising their support for the Palestinian people in their conflict with Israel, which began on October 7, 2023.
On Tuesday, Member of Parliament and National Conference leader Aga Ruhullah claimed that police had arrested several youths for raising slogans in support of the people of Palestine and carrying the Palestinian flag during the Muharram procession in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, PDP leader Iltija Mufti said that police booking the mourners under UAPA for protesting against the “atrocities” in Palestine “isn’t just an egregious overreach” but “shows how deep state reigns supreme in J&K.”
The 8th Muharram procession had been banned since the outbreak of militancy over three decades ago, and the J&K administration only lifted the ban last year.
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