The Kochi city police on Tuesday registered a case against two Australian women tourists for allegedly tearing pro-Palestinian posters put up by the Students Islamic Organization (SIO), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islam.
The FIR registered at the Fort Kochi police station has not named the accused. But a case was registered under IPC Section 153 (committing riot or incitement with intent to riot). After getting bail, these two Australian women were released from the police station.
According to the police, tourists tore down a poster erected by the SIO near the Fort Kochi boat jetty on Monday night. Some local youth questioned the women and a heated argument broke out between the two sides.
On Tuesday, SIO area leader KS Azim complained to the local police to take action against the women after SIO workers found a woman staying at a homestay near Fort Kochi.
Alleging that the police were reluctant to take action on the complaint, the SIO workers gathered in front of the police station on Tuesday night and demanded that the police register a case. A case was registered after that.
“Pro-Palestine posters were put up during the New Year. No permission to put up posters. But the task of removing the posters from public places is left to the local civic bodies,” the police said.
Link: https://x.com/deepbarot/status/1780334581985513664
