Mumbai: The Indian court on Monday sent two girls, alleged of posting anti-Thackaray comments on Facebook, to 14 days in prison but they were later released on bail after paying two bonds of Rs. 15,000 each.
Earlier, the two girls, Shaheen Dhada and Renu, were arrested over their Facebook post questioning the shutdown in Mumbai, an Indian  city, for Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray’s funeral with the comment also leading to an attack on the clinic of Dhada’s uncle by Sena activists.
Dhada was arrested after she posted comments on the social networking site opposing the shutdown in Mumbai. 86-year-old Thackeray was cremated on Saturday.
She allegedly said that one should not observe bandh for Thackeray’s funeral. “We should remember Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev,” the post said.
Dhada’s friend Renu was arrested for ‘liking’ the post.
“Police arrested both of them under section 505(2) (statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes). Today, they were granted bail,” their advocate Sudhir Gupta said.
The duo was arrested following a police complaint lodged by a local Sena leader.
After the comment was posted, a mob of nearly 40 Shiv Sainiks allegedly barged into Dhada’s uncles’s orthopaedic hospital at Palghar and torched the place yesterday.
However, no arrests were made in connection with the attack.
The arrests in neighbouring Thane on Sunday sparked an outrage with Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju on Monday demanding “immediate” action against police personnel involved. Congress said a police case against the girls was “unfortunate” and hoped Maharashtra government would take remedial measures.
In an e-mail to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Katju warned of “legal consequences” if he failed to take action against the police personnel concerned.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription