A Muslim youth was granted bail on Monday for the act that allegedly hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community. The case revolves around a reel that the youth identified as Babulal Sheikh made and later uploaded on his social media accounts. In the reel he could be seen wearing shoes and climbing a parked Rath on Sunday, two days after the ‘Ulto Rath’ yatra. He was, however, granted bail on the condition that he must wash the steps of the chariot every day for a week in the presence of cops.
Babulal Sheikh, who is in his early 30s, is a resident of Siddepada in Kalna’s Samudragarh and was arrested after Paschim Nasaratpur Harekrishna Namhatta Sangha alleged that he recorded a reel of his while on the steps of a chariot with his shoes on. The chariot was parked on STKK Road following the completion of ‘Ulto Rath.’
The committee members learned about the incident through the Facebook reel and lodged an FIR, secretary of the Sangh Jiten Mondal said. Following this, Nadanghat police station arrested Sheikh on Sunday itself and booked him under BNS 196 (2), which revolves around an aggravated form of offense of promoting enmity between different groups, and BNS 299, which revolves around deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs.
The next day, Sheikh was presented before the court of the chief judicial magistrate in Kalna. It was noted in the court that the investigating officer failed to serve the mandatory notice, which is required before arresting in offenses punishable with imprisonment that is below the prescribed threshold. Sheikh’s counsel Bikash Roy, meanwhile, said that there was no communal disturbance unfolding because of the incident and the reel was shot with no deliberate intention to insult any religion.
In addition to this, locals also said that the sheikh apologized in public for his act, including holding his ears.
Locals said Sheikh apologized in public for his act and even held his ears in repentance.
Meanwhile, a senior officer of the East Burdwan Police District said, “Once we receive the court order, we will take adequate measures to comply with it and ensure that there is no law and order trouble.”
