Hyderabad: A 17-year-old mentally unstable youth snatched and tried to tear the Indian flag during a rally by the Jana Sena party members at Necklace Road remembering the Pulwama attack victims on Saturday evening.

Following a commotion between the youth and other people, the Lake Police detained him. Officials found three mobile phones in his possession.

According to P. Vishwa Prasad, Central Zone DCP, the youth was identified as Zeeshan Ali, a Class VII drop out, who resides with his siblings and grandparents in Chintal Basti.

The crowd was holding a peaceful march in the wake of the terror attack at Jammu and Kashmir which killed 40 CRPF personnel.

“After Ali snatched the flag from a person’s hand and tried tearing it, the crowd started beating him, causing a commotion. The Lake Police took him to the police station,” said an eyewitness.

Speaking to DC, the DCP explained that the boy is mentally unstable and has been on medication for the last three months. “His grandmother was called to the police station and she told us that he has been acting deranged for over three months due to his medication. She told us that he cannot stand the colour green, which was the reason for him to snatch and attempt to damage the flag,” said the official, adding that the three phones found in his possession belonged to him.

Dhanalakshmi, Lake Police inspector, said, “We verified his medical records and confirmed the same with his grandmother too.”

Zeeshan’s mother works in Qatar and his father works in Mumbai. He resides with his siblings and grandparents in Chintal, concluded the DCP.

No case has been registered against the teen.