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Police in India Arrest Fans Celebrating Pakistan’s Cricket Victory Police in India Arrest Fans Celebrating Pakistan’s Cricket Victory
(about 11 hours later)
NEW DELHI — The police in India have arrested at least 19 people on charges of sedition for jubilantly celebrating Pakistan’s victory over India in the final of a cricket tournament played in Britain this week.NEW DELHI — The police in India have arrested at least 19 people on charges of sedition for jubilantly celebrating Pakistan’s victory over India in the final of a cricket tournament played in Britain this week.
Matches between the teams of the two neighbors are met with nail-biting tension in India, and the match in London on Sunday was no exception.Matches between the teams of the two neighbors are met with nail-biting tension in India, and the match in London on Sunday was no exception.
After Pakistan won, the police encountered people shouting pro-Pakistan slogans and setting off firecrackers in celebration. The arrests, most of which took place this week in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the southern Indian state of Karnataka, involved students, laborers and shopkeepers, all Muslims ages 20 to 35, the police said.After Pakistan won, the police encountered people shouting pro-Pakistan slogans and setting off firecrackers in celebration. The arrests, most of which took place this week in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the southern Indian state of Karnataka, involved students, laborers and shopkeepers, all Muslims ages 20 to 35, the police said.
The arrests come as some Muslims in India say they feel a sense of rising alienation. There have been episodes of violence, including by vigilante groups that have staged attacks on Muslims and low-caste Hindus suspected of slaughtering cows, which are considered sacred in Hinduism, the dominant religion in India.The arrests come as some Muslims in India say they feel a sense of rising alienation. There have been episodes of violence, including by vigilante groups that have staged attacks on Muslims and low-caste Hindus suspected of slaughtering cows, which are considered sacred in Hinduism, the dominant religion in India.
Competitions between the India and Pakistan cricket teams were suspended a few years ago, reflecting diplomatic tensions between the countries, which have canceled peace talks multiple times in the last three years. Their armies have clashed recently over a disputed border in Kashmir, causing casualties on both sides.Competitions between the India and Pakistan cricket teams were suspended a few years ago, reflecting diplomatic tensions between the countries, which have canceled peace talks multiple times in the last three years. Their armies have clashed recently over a disputed border in Kashmir, causing casualties on both sides.
Ramasray Yadav, a police officer in the Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh who is investigating the case, said he had arrested at least 15 people after a resident in the area complained about the celebrations. He was looking for three or four additional suspects, he said.Ramasray Yadav, a police officer in the Burhanpur district of Madhya Pradesh who is investigating the case, said he had arrested at least 15 people after a resident in the area complained about the celebrations. He was looking for three or four additional suspects, he said.
“They celebrated with firecrackers, distributing sweets and raising slogans of ‘Long live Pakistan,’ ” Officer Yadav said in a telephone interview. “They expressed hatred toward India and friendship toward Pakistan. They are charged for sedition and criminal conspiracy.” “They celebrated with firecrackers, distributing sweets and raising slogans of ‘Long live Pakistan,’ ” Officer Yadav said. “They expressed hatred toward India and friendship toward Pakistan. They are charged for sedition and criminal conspiracy.”
Officer Yadav said that the detained men had declared their love of India, shouting “Victory to Mother India,” in jail.Officer Yadav said that the detained men had declared their love of India, shouting “Victory to Mother India,” in jail.
If convicted, the men could face life imprisonment.If convicted, the men could face life imprisonment.
In 2014, 67 Kashmiri students were charged with sedition and with “instigating hate between two communities” for similar celebrations. The charges of sedition were later dropped. Dating from the colonial era, sedition laws have been applied broadly under successive governments, often against people whose actions appeared relatively benign. “We did not allow peace to be disturbed in the area,” Dinesh Verma, a police inspector, said by telephone, adding that “Muslim community leaders promised to convince their youths not to indulge in such activities.”
In a similar episode, in the Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh, three more people, all Muslims, were arrested on similar charges.
“After the match, they used firecrackers and raised slogans like ‘This is victory of Islam and defeat of Hinduism’ and ‘Long Live Pakistan,’ ” Dinesh Verma, a police inspector, said by telephone. “We did not allow peace to be disturbed in the area,” he said, adding that “Muslim community leaders promised to convince their youths not to indulge in such activities.”
The people arrested in Ujjain were charged with sedition and disturbing communal harmony.
In Karnataka, one person was arrested after shouting slogans and using firecrackers, said M. R. Pujar, a police official in the Haveri district.