Father of minor taken into custody after row

POLICE SAY THE MINOR WOULD BE SOON SENT FOR COUNSELLING AT A GOVT CENTRE

KOCHI: The father of the minor boy, whose viral video raising provocative slogans during a recent march organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Kerala’s Alappuzha stirred up a controversy recently, was taken into custody on Saturday, the police said.

The incident came to light after video clips showing the boy sitting on the shoulders of a man and chanting slogans at the PFI’S rally, came to the fore. In the clip, the boy can be heard issuing veiled threats to Hindu and Christian communities. HT could not verify the authenticity of the clip. A case was filed on May 23 after widespread outrage from church authorities and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A police officer told PTI that the father was taken into custody and would be soon brought to Alappuzha for detailed interrogation.

The accused, however, said that his son learnt the controversial slogan by attending similar programmes. “We used to take part in the PFI’S programmes. He had learnt the slogan when he attended a protest programme against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. I don’t understand why it has become a controversy now? What offence did he commit to harass a little boy like this?” he told media before being taken into custody.

According to police officials familiar with the matter, the boy would be sent for counselling at a government centre soon.

In the FIR filed by Vijayakumar P K, the police have invoked various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Kerala Police Act and arraigned PFI Alappuzha district secretary Mujeeb and Navas as accused, along with others.

So far, 20 people have been arrested and remanded in the case and more people were being taken into custody for questioning from various places, he said.

Meanwhile, PFI activists staged a protest in Palluruthy against the police custody of the boy’s father.