LUCKNOW: Police in Kushinagar on Thursday registered a case of treason against youths who participated in the Muharram procession on Tuesday wearing green T-shirts and tracks with Pakistan printed on it in bold letters along with a crescent and star (part of Pakistan’s National flag). The incident sparked off tension in Kushinagar on Tuesday but the situation was brought under control following prompt intervention of the police.

“An FIR on charges of treason has been registered against 10 youths at Kubersthan police station for the Tuesday incident,” superintendent of police (SP) Kushinagar Lalit Kumar Singh told TOI. “Investigations into the incident are underway and efforts are on to establish if there was any design behind the act. We will have to look into it thoroughly as the incident could have led to major law and order crisis,” Lalit Kumar said. Additional SP Chandra Prakash Shukla, who is probing the incident, said investigators were trying to establish if it was by chance the youths decided to wear the T-shirts and track pants or the dresses were provided to them by someone else.

On Tuesday police, a dozen odd youths clad in green T-shirt with Pakistan printed on them in bold letters were seen performing maatam (mourning) as the Muharrum procession passed through Kalyan Chhappar village in Kubersthan police circle of Kushinagar district. Some locals took strong exception to their dress and heated argument took place. Heavy contingents of police reached the site in the nick of time led by district police chief Lalit Kumar Singh. The police then made the youth change their dress. Additional security was deployed to accompany the procession thereafter.

On Wednesday, several protests were held by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (ABVP) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists demanding action against the youths. Thereafter, superintendent of police (SP) Kushinagar Lalit Kumar Singh ordered inquiry into the incident by an additional SP rank officer to enquire as to what had prompted the youths to wear Pakistani kits.

