Six youths detained for snatching Muslim elder’s skullcap during Uttar Pradesh procession, forced to apologize
Six men were arrested after a video showed them snatching an elderly Muslim man's skullcap during a procession in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, and were made to apologize publicly.
A procession marking the 195th birth anniversary of freedom fighter Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi passed through Marhera in Etah district on August 16, when an elderly Muslim participant was seen wearing a skullcap. A video later showed a young man reaching out, snatching the cap and discarding it, leaving the victim visibly shocked. The clip spread on social media, raising concerns about communal tension.
Acting suo motu, Marhara Police Station registered an FIR citing multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to rioting, promotion of enmity and acts prejudicial to communal harmony. On September 1, police apprehended six accused—identified as Ramvakil, Sachin, Durgesh, Vipin, Yogesh and Rinku—and compelled them to line up, fold their hands and publicly apologize for disrupting harmony. The police described the action as preventive and aimed at maintaining communal peace.
