Kerala: Father of kid who raised controversial slogans in PFI rally held

The police had registered a case after a video of the PFI rally, held as part of its ‘Save the Republic’ campaign, showed a minor boy raising hate slogans, apparently targeted at non-Muslims. In the last week, the police have arrested 20 other PFI cadres in the case.

Alappuzha: The police on Saturday arrested the father of the minor boy, who had raised controversial slogans during a Popular Front of India (PFI) rally in Kerala’s Alappuzha on May 21.

The police had registered a case after a video of the PFI rally, held as part of its ‘Save the Republic’ campaign, showed a minor boy raising hate slogans, apparently targeted at non-Muslims. In the last week, the police have arrested 20 other PFI cadres in the case.

After the video went viral and sparked controversy, the boy and his family stayed away from their home in Kochi. On Saturday, the police arrested the boy’s father from their house at Palluruthy in Kochi. He will now be handed over to the Alappuzha police, which had registered a case under Section 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, etc) of the Indian Penal Code.

Earlier on Friday, eighteen more people were arrested in connection with the case relating to alleged provocative slogans raised by a minor boy during a march organized by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in coastal Alappuzha, a purported video of which has gone viral.

"We have recorded the arrest of 18 more people. Some are organizers, others office-bearers. As of now, we have 20 people under arrest," the police official. Earlier, police recorded the arrest of two people, including PFI district president Navas. While Ansar who carried the minor boy on his shoulders, was the first person to be arrested in the case, 'said a top police official and said the complaint was filed by Vijaykumar PK.