Goa: Ponda resident arrested for unfurling Pakistan-like flag, accused claims it’s a religious flag

PANAJI: The local police in Ponda, about 30 kms from the State capital have arrested a 43-year-old male individual for hoisting a Pakistani flag above the Indian tri-color.

According to a report by The Navhind Times, Kayabuddin Ali, residing at Zigdimol Curti was arrested after some people uploaded photos on social media of the two flags and forwarded the same to the police.

Several persons on social media expressed outrage, after photographs of the Pakistani flag appeared on local Ponda WhatsApp groups on Monday during the day.

Netizens were cautious and wanted confirmation of the images/crime from group admins. They also forwarded the images to the Ponda police who conducted an inquiry into the incident and verified the complaints.

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After confirmation of the crime, Ali was booked under the Prevention of Insults to the National Honour Act, 1971.

Some locals and Muslim leaders claimed that it was a religious flag (unfurled during EiD) and not the Pakistani flag. We are awaiting confirmation from the Ponda police regarding the incident and will update this report as more details come in.

UPDATE (23.15 HRS): News agency IANS reported that the Goa police Monday arrested one person for allegedly hoisting a religious flag above the Indian flag at his rented accommodation at Ponda in South Goa.

The national flag was not distinctly in the position of honour, the IANS report quoting Goa police said.

Police told IANS that the accused person identified as Kayabuddin Ali, 43, is a resident of Ponda in South Goa and native of Uttar Pradesh.

Action against him was taken after local Goans from Ponda informed them about the incident and the matter was widely debated and shared on social media.

As we reported earlier above, the images and photographs of the two flags were circulating in WhatsApp groups since Monday around noon, leading to outrage and heated exchanges among group members.

“It is not Pakistan’s national flag, but a resemblance. They (the accused person and family members) claim it is a religious flag. But one can’t display another flag above the Indian flag (on the same pole),” Police Inspector Vijaykumar Chodankar told IANS, adding that it can be called a religious flag.

According to police the accused person had allegedly displayed the Indian flag in the middle of the pole and above that religious flag was hoisted.

It is not known if the religious flag was hoisted earlier on some recent religious festival or event and the Indian flag hoisted later on the same pole.

The case was registered under section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971, IANS confirmed in its report. Police are further investigating the case.

Religious leaders intervened and ensured that peace prevailed in the Ponda, Curti locality, which is considered a sensitive area. (Read More Here)