A young man was arrested by police in Basirhat-Baduria area of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal over a Facebook video in which the accused can be heard abusing Hindus, Hindu gods and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to reports, police also arrested 10 others in connection with the offensive video. All the accused were arrested on Wednesday, a day after protests broke out in the area.
The video, posted around a week ago, went viral with many sharing it on their social media pages. Reacting to the offensive video, local residents blocked roads in the area on Tuesday demanding the arrest of the boy seen abusing Hindus in the video.
According to reports, the police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesters and clear the roads. Internet services, which were initially suspended, were restored.
The Indian Express reports that the youth was arrested from Howrah. The other 10 include BJP workers who allegedly took part in the protests.
Police said that the arrests of the ten were made on a suo motu case to ensure peace. They have been remanded to judicial custody till 21 August.
The young man, who is said to be a minor, who uploaded the video has been booked under IPC section 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion).
The other accused have been reportedly booked under IPC sections including 147 (rioting), 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 307 (attempt to murder), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other charges.
The report says that the accused had also posted a second video apologising for his actions asking for forgiveness from “Hindu brothers and sisters”.
“I will never make such a mistake again. I am also requesting the police that I am just a kid and this was a childish mistake,” he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
Locals said that the protest against the boy was led by a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader before BJP leaders joined.
Baduria sub-division of Basirhat was in the news in July last year for communal rioting over a Facebook post allegedly against Islam. An enraged mob set fire to vehicles including those belonging to police and destroyed public property.
The police was severely censured for failing to bring the violence under control. The Centre had to dispatch central police force battalions to Basirhat to control the situation.