By Madeeha Fatima
New Delhi: After detaining two Muslim minors and allegedly beating up one of them for putting up posters calling for a boycott of Israeli products, Uttar Pradesh police have now filed a first information report against 10 Muslim minors – including the two who were detained – and an adult.
Cops at the Aonla police station in Bareilly have invoked Section 197(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with imputations and assertions prejudicial to national integration.
Police had detained the two minors, aged 14 and 17, from their homes at night on April 21. The two were released 24 hours after they were picked up from their homes. The Wire is withholding their names in accordance with laws on minors.
Speaking to The Wire, the father of the 14-year-old boy who was detained said that his son was beaten up in the police station by a policeman and a local businessman, both of whom were intoxicated.
“When we pleaded to the police to let the children out, they asked us to bring other boys who were also involved in putting up the boycott posters,” he said.
On the afternoon of April 22, the father said, three other Muslim minors who had been a part of the poster campaign along with the ones detained, were taken to the police station. All five minors were kept at the station until 9 pm on April 22, their families alleged. The minors were released together after constant requests of their guardians to the South Rural district superintendent of police and the circle officer, their families said.
The 14- and 17-year-old were detained for nearly 24 hours.
The 14-year old’s father said, “My son has just passed his exams for Class 9 and other minors are also school-going children.”
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.