Kerala Police have taken into custody the father of the minor boy who was seen raising communal slogans against Hindus and Christians during a rally organized by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Alappuzha, Kerala.
Police had earlier traced the boy to Palluruthy in Kochi two days ago, but the family had gone into hiding. When the family returned to their house, the father of the minor boy was caught by the police. The family claimed that they had just gone for a holiday and were not hiding from the police. PFI workers have staged a protest against police taking the father into custody.
Regarding the boy, the police are expected to submit a report to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) over his behavior. The CWC will then arrange for his counseling.
Following the communal rally by PFI in Alappuzha, a video of the minor boy had gone viral from the rally where he was raising provocative slogans against Hindus and Christians. The police took cognizance of the matter based on the viral video and launched a probe into the case.
Since then, police have arrested 20 PFI workers under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code along with Sections 75 (punishment for cruelty to child) and 83 (2) (use of child by militant groups or other adults) of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Kerala High Court has also asked the police to act against the organizers of the rally where the communal slogans were raised. In response to a petition filed by R Ramaraja Varma, who is a former professor of the SD College of Alappuzha, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan of Kerala HC said that if a member of the rally raised the provocative slogans, the organizers of the rally were also responsible. He said, “The police officers will do the needful by the law against all the persons who are responsible for this.”
