'Hindu Rashtra' banner burnt during Muharram procession in MP's Ratlam; 4 arrested

Four persons were arrested in connection with the incident which took place near Masjid Chauraha in Sailana, 20km from the district headquarters, on Sunday and led to tension in the area, where markets remained closed on Monday in protest, police said.

Ratlam: A banner with 'Hindu Rashtra' written on it was allegedly burnt during a Muharram procession in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Monday.

Four persons were arrested in connection with the incident which took place near Masjid Chauraha in Sailana, 20km from the district headquarters, on Sunday and led to tension in the area, where markets remained closed on Monday in protest, he said.

Heavy police force has been deployed in Sailana to maintain law and order, said the official.

A video of the incident is making rounds on social media.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rakesh Khakha told reporters that the police have arrested four persons on charges of disturbing peace, and added further investigation was on.

In the video, some young men are seen doing acrobatic stunts of spitting fire from their mouths in front of the 'tazia'. During the stunts, a man turns his face towards a banner with "Hindu Rashtra" written on it and spits out a cloud of fire.

After the video went viral, Hindu organisations protested and enforced a bandh, seeking action against those involved in the incident. During the protest, their members squatted at a prominent crossroad and recited 'Sunderkand' (a chapter in Hindu epic Ramayana).

Sailana Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDOP) Neelam Baghel, police station in-charge Surendra Gadaria and a large number of personnel were present at the protest site to avoid any untoward incident.