Man Booked In Mumbai For Using Aurangzeb's Picture As WhatsApp Status

Mumbai police on Sunday booked a man for allegedly using Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's image as his Whatsapp profile picture after the issue was raised by a Hindu organisation, an official said on Sunday.

Police detained the man in Vashi, who works in an outlet of a mobile service provider. He was served with a notice of 41 A under The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) for an appearance before the police officer.

The screenshot of Aurangzeb's profile picture was submitted to the police by a Hindu organisation, leading to registration of the case under sections 298 (Uttering words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said. Further investigation is underway, he added.

Other incidents of communal tension

The alleged glorification of Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan has triggered incidents of communal tension in various cities of Maharashtra recently.

In Kolhapur city, protesters pelted stones during a demonstration against the alleged use of Tipu Sultan’s image along with an objectionable audio message as social media “status” by a few locals on Wednesday. 

Earlier, photos of Aurangzeb were displayed in a procession in Ahmednagar. In Sangamner town, stones were hurled during a rally of Sakal Hindu Samaj in response to the alleged murder of a boy.

Two persons were injured and five vehicles were damaged. Separately, a poster of Aurangzeb was displayed with the raising of objectionable slogans during a religious procession, also in Sangamner, police had said.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis appealed to the public to maintain law and order. 

(With inputs from PTI)