Police have arrested Mohammed Harshad, Dawood and Isaac for the act of sedition

Dakshina Kannada police have arrested three persons for allegedly shouting pro-Pakistan slogans outside a gram panchayat election counting centre.

A video of an incident where youth were seen shouting pro-Pakistani slogans had gone viral during the gram panchayat election counting on Wednesday.

Among the Social Democratic Party of India (the political arm of the radical Islamist organisation Popular Front of India) activists who were said to be celebrating the victory of a candidate backed by their party in Ujire in Dakshina Kannada’s Belthangady, a few men were shouting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’.

The video then made rounds on social media following which the Dakshina Kannada police filed a case of sedition against 10-15 SDPI activists, although their identities had not been established.

Yesterday, police arrested Mohammed Harshad, Dawood and Isaac for the act of sedition. The videos shot outside the counting centre have been collected and will be sent for technical analysis.

Members of the BJP Mahila Morcha and Yuva Morcha had staged protests in Dakshina Kannada on Thursday demanding a ban on the party and its parent organisation the PFI, which has also been named in the Bangalore riots.

Member of Parliament from Udupi-Chikamagaluru, Shobha Karandlaje, urged Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa to ban the SDPI. “This is neither Peshawar nor Karachi. #PakistanZindabad slogans raised while celebrating SDPI candidate's GP Election victory in Ujire. Yet again proving the loyalties & intentions of #SDPI. Dear CM @BSYBJP Sir, it's now or never, Ban this anti national org,” she tweeted.