Youth arrested in UP's Azamgarh for appealing to hoist Palestine flag

The youth, identified as Yasir Akhtar, had allegedly made the appeal in a message on his Facebook page

Police on Thursday arrested a youth in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district for appealing to the Muslims to 'hoist' the Palestinian flag on their houses and vehicles to show their protest against the ongoing Israeli attack on Gaza.

The youth, identified as Yasir Akhtar, a resident of Sarai Mir locality in the district, had allegedly made the appeal in a message on his Facebook page.

''Muslims should hoist Palestinian flag atop their houses and vehicles after Friday prayers,'' he had said in the message.

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The post, which garnered a large number of responses and comments, alerted the cops, who launched a hunt to nab the youth. The cops were able to trace the youth with the help of his cell phone number, sources said.

''A case has been registered against him at Sarai Mir police station and he is being quizzed,'' said a senior police official in Azamgarh. ''We will not allow any attempt to disturb peace,'' the official added.

The police had earlier arrested several youths in Kashmir, who had held demonstrations against the attack on Gaza by Israel after Hamas militants fired a barrage of rockets into Israeli towns.

Over 200 people, including children, have been killed in the attack, which is still continuing.