Man hosts Pak flag for want of ‘baby boy’ in Nalanda, arrested

india

Updated: Jul 21, 2016 20:12 IST

The police seized a Pakistani flag and arrested the man accused of hoisting it from a bustling suburb in Nalanda district on Thursday. The man, who lives near a mosque in Bihar Sharif reportedly hoisted it atop his house “for want of a baby boy”.

The district administration swung into action when a local television channel showed the flag flapping from the roof of a house near the Jama Masjid in Kharadi locality of the district headquarters, 90 km south of the state capital.

The owner of the house, Anwarul Haq, “admitted to hoisting the flag”, a district administration source said. “He believed that it would help his wife give birth to a baby boy.”

Nalanda district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM, when contacted, said there was no Pakistani flag “currently flying” in Bihar Sharif. “We will be inquiring into the matter,” he added.

Police will soon be sending the video for forensic examination in New Delhi.

A person places Pakistan flag at his terrace in Nalanda district of Bihar. Police has got the flag removed now. pic.twitter.com/sJ4c23gGfT — ANI (@ANI_news) July 21, 2016

Nalanda is the home district of chief minister Nitish Kumar.

The incident comes a week after Patna reportedly witnessing pro-Pakistan slogans during a protest march to support controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.

The protesters, under the banner of Popular Front of India, took out a procession on On July 15, slamming the Centre for “unnecessarily troubling” and cracking down on Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation head Naik and Owaisi, an MP from Telangana. One person was arrested.

The BJP blamed the coalition government of the Janata Dal (United), the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress in Bihar for “sympathising with anti-nationals”. The Opposition party’s leader Prem Kumar said in the state assembly that the CM, along with RJD leader Lalu Prasad and the Congress, was responsible for patronising “such anti-nationals”.

Defending the government, the JD(U) said the culprits would be booked. “We will certainly send them to jail,” a spokesman of the ruling party said. “We have issued orders to the Nalanda police for stern action. All pro-Pakistan symathisers in the state will be dealt with sternly.”

(With inputs from ANI)