Youth who had fired at anti-CAA protesters held for hate speech

CHANDIGARH: Gopal Sharma who had brandished a gun and opened fire at anti-CAA protesters outside Jamia Millia University was arrested by Haryana Police on Monday for delivering a hate speech recently and sent to judicial custody.

Sources said Sharma on July 4 gave a speech during a  mahapanchayat at Ramlilla ground in Pataudi village against ‘Love Jihad’ and religious conversions. The hate speech case was registered at Pataudi police station under Section 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion etc.) and 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of Indian Penal Code.

Police said Sharma was arrested from Sikanderpur Badha village and sent to judicial custody. After the speech went viral on social media, many complaints were filed against him demanding his arrest. As per the complaint filed by one Dinesh of Jamalpur village, there was a mahapanchayat at Pataudi on July 4. Sharma alias Ram Bhakt Gopal delivered a hate speech which could flare up tension between two communities. The complainant said the speech could instigate riots, create law and order situation.

The complainant also shared the link of the videos of the speech, which he claimed had gone viral on social media. A senior police officer said Sharma was produced in a Gurugram court from where he was sent into judicial custody.In January last year during a protest outside Jamia Millia in the national capital, Sharma allegedly fired at the students injuring one of them.

Could flare up communal tension: Complainant
As per the complaint, there was a mahapanchayat at Pataudi. Sharma alias Ram Bhakt Gopal delivered a hate speech which could flare up tension between two communities. The complainant said the speech could instigate riots, create law and order situation

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