The Mangaluru City police said on Monday that a 58-year-old man had been detained for allegedly sharing a video on social media in favor of the terrorist group Hamas. According to the police, Zakir, a local of Jokatte, made the video and urged viewers to pray for Hamas by referring to them as patriots.
The video, which was first shared on a WhatsApp group, has gained a lot of popularity and has been extensively distributed on social media. The accused, according to the police, works in a cemetery and belongs to the Vishwa Khabarastan Sangha. After the video went viral on social media, the Mangaluru North police opened an investigation. His arrest happened on Sunday.
A Vishwa Hindu Parishad activist had complained to the police, requesting that Zakir be taken into custody. The accused has been charged by the city police for violating IPC Section 153(a), which prohibits inciting animosity between groups based on religion. The defendant was brought before the court and placed in protective custody. At least seven further criminal charges have been filed against him in the city, according to the sources.
Last week, a flurry of airstrikes by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas were launched into Southern Israel. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted many assaults on Hamas’ crucial infrastructure. In the worst escalation between the two sides in decades, hundreds of people have already been murdered in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
