J&K police arrest 12 persons for 'disrespecting' national anthem in LG Sinha's 'Pedal for Peace' event

More than four policemen involved in the bandobast of the event were placed under suspension while twelve participants who are deemed as danger to peace to Srinagar were arrested, according to the police.

SRINAGAR (JAMMU AND KASHMIR): Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested at least a dozen persons under sections sections 107/151 of CrPC invoked for “imminent danger to peace” and “danger to peace” in Srinagar, after they failed to stand up for the national anthem in an event presided by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha organised by the J&K Police.

In a statement issued in this regard, a spokesman for Srinagar Police said that 12 persons have been “generally bound down for good behaviour under sections 107/151 of CrPC”. Police did not identify the accused in the case, while dismissing a news report citing 14 persons being arrested for disrespecting national anthem. “It is clarified that the news is completely false,” police said.

The police statement came amid reports that over a dozen persons have been arrested for disrespecting the national anthem during a function attended by the LG in Srinagar. As per sources, the J&K administration has suspended a few police personnel for failing to ensure that everyone stood up while the anthem was played during the event. The alleged incident took place during the closing ceremony of the ‘Pedal for Peace’ cycling event, organised by Jammu and Kashmir Police, on June 25.

Besides LG Sinha, the function had several senior Jammu and Kashmir officials in attendance. A senior police officer confirmed to ETV Bharat the suspension of the cops after the event. "Few police personnel have also been suspended for being irresponsible while on duty as they failed to ensure that everyone stood up while the anthem was played," a senior official in J&K Police told ETV Bharat.

The J&K Administration has ordered an investigation following the incident. The accused arrested have been sent to Srinagar's Central Jail. Along with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, other attendees at the June 25 event included Lt Governor's advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, ACS Home Department's R K Goyal, DGP Dilbag Singh, and ADGP J&K Armed Police's SJM Gillani.