Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Panaji Police have reportedly identified a woman accused of raising the slogan “Hindutva Murdabad” during a protest organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in Goa. She has reportedly been served a notice directing her to appear at the police station.
The development follows an FIR registered in connection with alleged communal slogans raised during a demonstration at Azad Maidan, Panaji, on October 11. Seven protesters were detained during the incident but were later released following the intervention of the Bombay High Court at Goa.
The police action followed a complaint by a local resident who alleged that slogans targeting a community were raised during the gathering. The complaint also questioned the intent behind the protest.
The FIR was registered against unidentified protesters under Sections 196 and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). These provisions relate to promoting enmity between groups and deliberately insulting religious beliefs with the intention of outraging religious feelings.
The matter came into the spotlight after videos purportedly showing the slogans surfaced on social media. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant subsequently indicated that the allegations would be investigated, stressing the need to maintain communal harmony in the state.
The protest was organised by a CJP affiliate in Goa, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Before the demonstration, organisers had sought official permission to hold the gathering. However, the North Goa District Magistrate rejected the request on October 9, citing a report from the Superintendent of Police, North Goa, which did not recommend permission for the assembly.
The seven protesters were released after the High Court was approached through a habeas corpus petition. The court observed that their detention might not have been authorised.
