BENGALURU: Ashoknagar police on Wednesday arrested a 29-year-old sound engineer for disrespecting the national anthem, played before a movie, at Garuda Mall.
The accused Jithin, a resident of Sanjayanagar, had returned to India two years ago from Australia and was working on a film project.
A police officer said based on a complaint by one Suman Kumar, a case was registered on Tuesday. Kumar and his friends had gone to watch Avengers: Endgame.
While the national anthem was being played, Jithin remained seated. Kumar asked Jithin why he was not standing. This irked the latter and he started abusing Kumar and some other women present in the hall. He allegedly used a defamatory word against the national anthem.
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Soon, police were informed. Jithin was booked under Prevention of Insult to National Honours Act and he was released on station bail.
S Balan, an advocate, said according to a Supreme Court’s order, it is not mandatory to stand during the national anthem if it is being played inside a cinema hall. It is up to the person either to stand or not. “However, nobody should disrespect the national anthem by making any remarks against it,” he said.