Ranchi: In connection with widely shared video which showed pro-Pakistan slogans being raised, ten people have been arrested, a police officer in Jharkhand’s Giridih was quoted by news agency ANI on Thursday.
Sub-divisional police officer Anil Kumar Singh said, “A video went viral in which a pro-Pakistan slogan was raised (‘Pakistan Zindabad’) during a procession of nomination filing for panchayat election under Gandey police station area. The incident took place yesterday.”
“Mukhiya candidate Mohammad Shakir’s supporters were sloganeering in his support near block office gate… pro-Pakistan slogans were raised. Giridih police registered a case under relevant sections and arrested Shakir and his two supporters,” he added.
According to news agency PTI, Shakir is the panchayat poll candidate from Dokodih.
Those supporting him raised slogans of ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.
His supporters accompanied him to the election office on Wednesday to file papers for the upcoming Jharkhand rural polls.
After the video went viral, the police swung into action.
“We have arrested Mukhiya candidate Md Shakir and his two supporters, Asif and Sohaib, on charges of spreading hatred in the society and violating the model code of conduct,” Anil Kumar Singh told PTI, adding that all three would be sent to jail after completing formalities.
For the first phase of Panchayat elections in Jharkhand, the process of filing papers began in 72 blocks of 21 districts of the state from April 16. Around 1,127 panchayats will go to the poll in the first phase on May 14 and counting will take place on May 17.
Altogether 6,267 candidates have so far filed papers for the first round for the post of mukhiyas and members of the panchayat samiti, zila parishad and gram panchayat members.
The nomination for the first round will conclude on April 23.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
