Sunday, the Una town police arrested self-proclaimed political and social activist Kajal Hindustani for her allegedly inflammatory statement that offended the minority community and sparked riots in the Kumbharwada region on Saturday.
The police also filed a separate FIR and arrested 76 individuals with names and 200 unidentified individuals for rioting and destruction that put the community on edge.
Authorities stated that Hindustani was charged under IPC section 295(A) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief).
Kajal Hindustani arrested for hate speech
She had delivered the address during a Ram Navami celebration hosted by the Ram Krishna Janm Samiti on March 30. The police stated that sixty of the 76 individuals who were booked were held. In addition to rioting, the police have also used section 120 (B) of the criminal conspiracy statute.
RR Gadchar, a police sub-inspector, alleged in the complaint that the defendants concocted a plot and were armed with iron pipes, swords, glass bottles, and stones in order to vandalize vehicles and shatter windows in homes following Hindustani’s address.
The police conducted intensive combing operations as well as foot patrols to prevent any escalation of tension in the area, where an uncomfortable quiet reigned.
During the search, a considerable number of swords, knives, and glass bottles were seized, according to a top Gir-Somnath police official.
Sripal Sheshma, the in-charge superintendent of police (SP) for Gir-Somnath, is also camping in the city to assess the law and order situation, while close to 200 policemen, including an SRP unit, have been stationed there to enforce stricter bandobast.
