AGRA: Police have arrested five men, who were allegedly heard raising slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' in a viral video captured during Samajwadi Party demonstrations, officials said on Friday.
The arrested accused were identified as Pankaj alias Paare, Aarif Khan, Chandra Prakash, Deepak Valmiki and Madhukar Singh, residents of Sultanganj Pulia locality.
The video posted on social media on Thursday evening shows Pankaj raising slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' during a protest against the state government, led by Wajid Nisar, Samajwadi Party's (SP's) Agra district unit head.
However, Nisar dissociated himself from Pankaj and asked police to take action against him.
"As the matter came into my notice, I gave a written application and demanded action against the person involved in the anti-national activity," Nisar said.
The protest was part of the statewide demonstrations by SP against the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government.
Later, Pankaj released a video and claimed that he only raised slogans in praise of SP leaders Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.
"Why would I raise slogans of 'Pakistan zindabad'? I am a Thakur born and raised here (India)," he said.
Superintendent of Police Botre Rohan Pramod said an FIR was registered against the five arrested accused and about 25 unidentified persons at Nai Mandi police station.
They were booked under Sections 147 (rioting), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection), 153 B (assertions against national integration), 505 (2)(creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant Sections of the Epidemic Act, the officer said.
He said efforts were on to ascertain the identity of the rest of the accused.