The Kerala Police have arrested five workers of the Youth League, youth-wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), for allegedly raising provocative slogans during a march at Kanhangad  in  Kerala’s Kasargod district

The accused are identified as Abdul Salam, Sherif, Ashir, PH Ayub, P Mohammed Kunji. They were arrested based on the video footage of them raising provocative slogans. Hosdurg Police booked the accused under various sections of IPC, including 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups).

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Non-bailable charges were slapped against 307 identifiable persons. They include Muslim Youth League National Secretary Firoz Babu who participated in the march.

Over 300 members of the Youth League were booked by the police on Wednesday who took part in the protest rally organised against the Manipur violence. The slogan raised on the occasion was: “We will hang you at temple corridors and burn you alive.”

The cases were filed against the accused based on a complaint made by BJP Kanhangad mandalam president. Following the incident, the Youth League State General Secretary P K Firoz, announced that the worker who raised the provocative slogan had been expelled from the organization. He said Abdul Salam from Kanhangad Municipality was removed from the outfit for acting against its ideology.

Visuals of sloganeering went viral on social media. Several people shared the video with a demand for action against the accused.

The BJP alleged that the slogans were raised with support from the CPI-M-led LDF government and alleged that the state was becoming a hub for radicalization under the Left government.