'Pathaan' controversy: 4 arrested for anti-Prophet Mohammed remarks

New Delhi, Jan 26: Indore Police has arrested four persons over allegedly making objectionable slogans against Prophet Mohammed during the screening of 'Pathaan' near a cinema hall in the city.

The slogan was raised during an-anti 'Pathaan' protest by the right-wing activists at Kastur Talkies in Indore. An FIR was filed based on the complaint and four members were arrested, the police told PTI.

On the other hand, the police have registered a case against unidentified persons after the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged that a provocative slogan - "sar tan se juda" (beheading) - was raised during a protest by "jihadi elements" in the city

The VHP has accused protesters of raising a provocative "sar tan se juda" slogan during a protest in the city's Badwali Chowki area. VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal has also shared the purported clip of this sloganeering on Twitter and tagged state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Home Minister Narottam Mishra in the tweet and wrote, "They (Chouhan and Mishra) possibly don't know that 'sar tan se juda' gang has become active in Indore today." He accused "jihadi" elements of being part of this protest.

A local VHP delegation met City Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra on Wednesday night and submitted a memorandum against this slogan allegedly raised in the Barwali Chowki area.

Mishra said a case under section 505 and other relevant provisions of India Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Sadar Bazar police station for alleged objectionable sloganeering in Barwali Chowki area.

Appropriate action will be taken against the accused in this case after identifying them, he said.

Members of the Muslim community protested in large numbers in Chandan Nagar, Chhatripura and other minority-dominated areas along with Badwali Chowki. The protesters objected to the objectionable slogans against Prophet Mohammed raised during the Kastur Talkies protest.

Mishra said that based on the purported video of sloganeering in Kastur Talkies' premises, a case was registered under IPC sections 505 and 295-A at Chhatripura Police Station.

"We will get the authenticity of the videos produced by members of Hindu as well as the Muslim communities verified and also conduct a detailed investigation into their allegations," the police commissioner said.

The protest against "Pathaan" at Kastur Talkies premises was held on the call given by Bajrang Dal.

Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone's 'Pathaan' is an action thriller, directed by Siddharth Anand. The movie had run into a controversy over its vulgar song 'Besharam Rang' track.