Gujarat man held from Maharashtra for ‘objectionable’ social media post on Hindu goddess

Bhuj, July 9

A 23-year-old man from Kutch district of Gujarat was arrested in Maharashtra for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments through his “objectionable” social media post on a Hindu goddess, police said here on Saturday.

The accused, Bharat Rupani, was nabbed by the Kutch (West) Local Crime Branch (LCB) officials from Talmod in Maharashtra after an FIR was registered against him at Bhuj A-division police station for posting on Facebook an objectionable picture of goddess Ashapura, a local deity. The complainant in the case said the post hurt his religious sentiments, an official release said.

Rupani was booked under Sections 153 (A) (promoting enmity between different groups) and 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings) of the Indian Penal Code, the LCB said.

“LCB Kutch (West) formed a team to investigate the case. Through technical surveillance and human intelligence, it was found that the accused, hailing from Lakhpat taluka of Kutch district, was staying at Talmod border in neighbouring Maharashtra,” it added.

The accused was picked up and handed over to the Bhuj A-division police station, which arrested him on Friday.

Further investigation was under way in this connection, the statement said.