Author arrested for hurting religious sentiments

Moga (

), Aug 21:

have arrested the author of an article who, along with an editor of a local weekly newspaper, was booked on charges of hurting

sentiments of a community.

The Moga district police last night arrested the author from his Patiala residence and produced him before the court of Judicial Magistrate Pratima Mahajan today. As the police did not press for remand, the court sent him to judicial custody till September 4.

Police, meanwhile, continued to carry out raids at various places to nab the editor. The police had earlier registered a criminal case against the editor and the author of an article on the charge of "deliberately and maliciously" intending to outrage the religious feelings of a community.

As soon as the weekly newspaper was distributed in the town on Monday, there was a feeling of resentment among a section of people and later, they held a demonstration in front of the newspaper's office at Baghapuran.

The protesters set afire a signboard outside the office of the weekly newspaper and locked its premises. They later handed over the keys to the police.

The protesters had demanded immediate arrest of the editor as well as the author of the article. A complaint was filed by the residents of Baghapurana, after which the police had registered a case.

PTI