3 arrested for removing mosque flag in UP's Shahjahanpur; 17 booked for flag desecration

Shahjahanpur, UP: Three men were arrested here on Tuesday for allegedly removing a flag from a mosque and replacing it with a saffron flag, a police officer said.

In another incident in Tilhar, police booked five people and 12 others unidentified for allegedly desecrating a flag bearing the name of Lord Ram.

Superintendent of Police Ashok Kumar Meena said, "Some miscreants climbed up a mosque in the Lalbagh area under Ramchandra Mission Police Station Monday night. The accused removed a green coloured flag from the mosque and replaced it with a saffron flag."

Meena said the three men, Ankit Katheria, Rohit Joshi and Rohit Saxena, were arrested at the complaint of local residents.

"The accused were arrested on Tuesday and the matter is being investigated," he said.

In Tilhar, Circle Officer Priyank Jain said that the alleged desecration took place in Batlaiya village.

"On the basis of a complaint, an FIR has been lodged against five persons and 12 unidentified individuals. The matter is being looked into," Jain said.