Lucknow: Around 40 people were booked on Friday for “rioting” after a video of them purportedly dancing to loud music and flashing swords in the communally-sensitive Aligarh district was widely circulated on social media. The men were carrying saffron flags.
Soon after, local police booked Deepak (only first name available), who was allegedly leading the procession and had also organised it, and 40 unnamed youngsters under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) following a complaint filed by sub-inspector Pradeep Kumar.
In his complaint, Kumar said, “People wearing saffron scarfs and brandishing swords were dancing to loud music which created some tense moments in the area. When the men in the procession were asked to show documents with permission for holding such an event with weapons like swords, they failed to do so.”
DSP (Atrauli), Mohsin Khan, added, “There were around 30-40 people. An investigation is being carried out. Efforts are on to arrest the culprits.”
Police said the incident came to light around 6pm on Wednesday when SI Pradeep Kumar and his colleague Sarvesh Kumar, posted at Harduaganj police station, were on routine patrol. When they reached Morthal village, they found people on bikes “waving swords and dancing”.
