Maharashtra: Man held in Navi Mumbai for using Aurangzeb's picture as social media profile

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The Navi Mumbai police in Maharashtra registered an FIR against 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, reported the PTI.

The Navi Mumbai police detained the man in Vashi area of Navi Mumbai, according to the PTI.

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The man works in an outlet of a mobile service provider. He was allowed to go and a notice was issued to him, the PTI reported on Sunday.

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, as per the PTI.

Further investigation is underway, he added.

Incidents of communal tension have taken place in various cities of Maharashtra recently over the alleged glorification of Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan.

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.

Meanwhile, in an another incident on Friday, the police in Beed district of Maharashtra said that a teenage boy's alleged act of putting social media status message glorifying Mughal emperor Aurangzeb has triggered tension in Ashti town of Beed district, with some Hindutva organisations giving a "bandh" call, reported PTI.

The police had earlier said that a complaint was received in this connection, based on which an offence was registered at Ashti police station.

(with PTI inputs)