Tension prevailed in Hyderabad's old city area on Saturday night and Sunday after a group of Muslims alleged that Brother Imran, the President of the Islamic Research and Education Foundation made alleged 'derogatory remarks' against their religion.
The police said that it all began after a religious meeting at a mosque at Etebar Chowk on Saturday where Brother Imran was one of the speakers and allegedly made comments that offended the Shia community in the city. He has since been arrested by the Mir Chowk police and sent to judicial custody.
“Members of Shia group, who are observing matham, got offended by his statements and demanded action against him,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ambar Kishore told The Hindu.
As a video of his speech was streamed live on social media even as others recorded it and shared it via WhatsApp, a large number of Shia Muslims gathered outside the mosque and raised slogans, which forced top officials of the police including Hyderabad Commissioner Anjani Kumar to rush to the spot. Security has also been beefed up in the area since. Yakutpura has been one of the most affected areas.
“Brother Imran has delivered a provocative speech which led to sectorial tension among Muslims while use of disparaging words in respect of Imam Hussain and Ahlebait during his speech,” the complaint by Syed Najaf Ali Shoukat, a journalist, stated in his complaint to the Mir Chowk police.
Following the complaint, Brother Imran was booked under Section 295 (A) (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505(3) (Statements conducing public mischief, committed in place of worship) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
After he was detained by the police, he was presented in front of a court, which sent him to judicial custody at the Chanchalguda Central Prison for 14 days.