A video circulating on social media purportedly showing a mob surrounding a schoolboy and coercing him into urinating on a Pakistani flag lying on a road here has prompted police to launch a probe and book three people.The Aligarh district unit of the Samajwadi Party condemned the incident, which it saw as an attempt at inciting communal discord in the wake of last week’s Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
In a police complaint, the 15-year-old student’s family said he returned home from the Government International Academy with his friends on Monday afternoon when he noticed the flag lying on the ground. A moment later, a mob cost the boy, demanded to know his name, began to abuse him, and forced him to urinate on the flag.
A FIR was registered at the Banna Devi Police Station on Monday evening, with three of them charged, including one unnamed, being booked in various parts of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A senior police officer said the matter was under investigation and asserted that strict action would be taken against the convicted.
Samajwadi Party District Secretary General Manoj Yadav responded to the incident, claiming that certain factors attempted to incite community disharmony after the Pahalgam tragedy.
“It’s a very disturbing video, but the incident is not an isolated video. We have received reports of similar harassment incidents in other parts of the city. The government must take decisive action to prevent any attempt to undermine the peace,” he said.
In another incident, police said that in the Suwarn Jayanti Nagar area within the Kuwars Police Department, FIR registration was allegedly targeting unidentified persons, and juice supplier Omar Husain store was allegedly registered.
“We are aware of both events and an investigation is underway, circle official Abhay Pande told reporters and called on people not to spread rumors or incite tensions.
