12 people ‘bound down’ for ‘disrespecting’ National Anthem in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, July 6

Twelve people were “bound down” for not standing up during the National Anthem played at a function here in June with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in attendance, police said on Thursday.

Departmental action has also been initiated against the police music band for failing to ensure everyone stood up before the anthem was played, they said.

The 12 people were “bound down” under the CrPC sections 107 and 151 — the sections grant police the power to arrest or detain a person or ask him or her to sign a bond in anticipation of a crime.

According to officials, some people chose to not stand up during the closing ceremony of the ‘Pedal for Peace’ cycling event, organised by Jammu and Kashmir Police, on June 25.

The J&K Administration took a strong note of the “disrespect” to the National Anthem and launched an inquiry into the alleged infraction, they said.

Sources from police had earlier said that 14 people were arrested for disrespecting the National Anthem and a few policemen too suspendeda version later challenged in a tweet by Srinagar Police, which said it had only “bound down” 12 people under sections of Criminal Procedure Code, and not arrested them.

“There is an unverified news doing round that 14 policemen/persons have been arrested /suspended for disrespecting national anthem. It is clarified that the news is completely false, rather 12 persons have been generally bound down for good behaviour under sections 107/151 of CrPC,” Srinagar Police said on Twitter.