Two minor Muslim boys have been arrested in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, for allegedly listening to a Pakistani song on their mobile phones, according to police.
On April 13, police filed a first information report (FIR) against Naeem and Mustkim of Singhai Murawan village in the Bhuta area of the district. According to the Times of India, the cousins, aged 16 and 17, run a grocery store in Singhai Murawan.
An FIR was filed against the youngsters after a local resident, Ashish, complained about them playing a song that glorified the neighbouring country.
When Ashish objected to the duo playing the music, the teenagers got into a fight with him, causing the complainant to record the incident and post it to his Twitter account, according to PTI.
The FIR also stated that when the complainant urged the two to stop listening to the music, they allegedly began flinging abuse and saying “bad things” about India, according to the newspaper.
“They played the music without realising the consequences,” their cousin, who did not want to be identified, told TOI.
The two were picked up at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 and detained by police at the station for the entire night, according to the family.
According to The Wire, Saddam Hussain, the duo’s cousin, said in a video shot by a local reporter that his younger brother played the song for for 40 seconds, and that too by accident. Later, he apologised, but his apology was rejected, he added.
Sahana, the younger boy’s aunt, said the incident occurred when she was leaving the grocery shop for a few minutes. She was surprised and distressed to learn that both children had been jailed for listening to a music that had been accidentally played. She said the boys were uneducated and apologised on their behalf.
The two were listening to the song “Pakistan Zindabad” by Pakistani kid singer and actress Aayat Arif.
Rajkumar Agarwal, the assistant superintendent of police (rural) in Bareilly, said a FIR had been filed on the complaint and that an investigation was underway.
“I don’t know whether the youths were detained by the police overnight,” said Rohit Singh Sajwan, senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Bareilly, to TOI. “I was told that they were being called for questioning this morning.” When the authenticity of a video recording cannot be established, there is a procedure for serving notices. I will ask a senior cop to monitor the investigation and provide a report.”
153B (imputation, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code have been placed on the teenagers.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
