The case was lodged under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act at the Pooranpur police station. (Source: File Photo) The case was lodged under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act at the Pooranpur police station. (Source: File Photo)

A police complaint was filed on Thursday against the organisers of a procession in Bareilly for allegedly showing disrespect to the national flag, police said.

It has been alleged in the complaint that instead of the Ashoka Chakra in the middle of the flag, a picture of a mosque was put up, police added. Around 10,000 people reportedly took part in the procession on Wednesday.

The complaint was filed by Hindu Yuva Vahini’s Pilibhit district president Manish Chauhan, who also demanded action against the policemen deployed on security duty for not taking any action on the spot.

The case was lodged under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act at the Pooranpur police station against the organisers who took out the Juloos-e-Ghousia procession. No arrest has been made so far, police said.

On Thursday, Hindu Yuva Vahini local leaders met Pilibhit’s Superintendent of Police, Balendu Bhushan Singh, and alleged that some participants in the procession carried the national flag with a picture of a mosque printed on it in place of the Ashok Chakra.

“I came to know about it from a local resident on Thursday. He sent me the photograph of the flag with the picture of a mosque on it. Later, we met the SP and briefed him about the incident. I have handed over an application to him demanding action against the organiser and members of Juloos-e-Ghousia procession. I also requested him to inquire into the role of the cops as well. I have not submitted the photograph showing the flag.”

On the SP’s directive, the FIR was lodged on Thursday evening.

“An FIR has been lodged against the organiser and members of the Juloos-e-Ghousia procession. The complainant did not submit any photograph or video as evidence. We have began investigation,” said station officer, Pooranpur police station, Keshav Kumar Tiwari.

“It’s true that a police team was moving along with the procession, but it is not possible for them to check each and every national flag the participants were carrying. We would collect the video and photograph of the procession to find the offender,” he added.

When contacted, Inspector General, Bareilly Range, Dhruv Kumar Thakur said, “There is a video of the procession which corroborates the allegations made in the FIR. It is possible that the police team moving with the procession failed to notice the flag as they were engaged in maintaining law and order.”

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