Ayodhya verdict: 10 held for provocative behaviour in MP

Eight people were arrested in Seoni and two in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh for posting objectionable messages on social media and bursting crackers after Supreme Court's Aypodhya verdict, police said on Sunday.

In Gwalior, Dinesh Singh Chauhan (27) was arrested on Saturday night after his objectionable Whatsapp post was found by a police team monitoring social media chats, said Bahodapur police station in charge YS Tomar.

"On Saturday evening, we received a screenshot of the inflammatory post. Based on that, we arrested Chauhan, a resident of Rampuri locality, under section 188 of the IPC for showing disobedience to an official order, and section 153, which deals with provocation to cause a riot" he added.

Several other objectionable posts from a WhatsApp group called 'Hindu Sena' were found on Chauhan's mobile phone, he said.

In the second incident in Gwalior, jail warden Mahesh Awad was suspended for bursting of crackers in Chhaoni area despite a ban on such post-verdict activities by district authorities.

"After we got information about Awad bursting crackers post the Ayodhya verdict, we suspended him," said Gwalior Central Jail Superintendent Manoj Kumar Sahu said.

In Seoni district, Chhapara police arrested WhatsApp group administrator Radhe Gajjam and one Ranjit Singh while Kotwali arrested four people identified as Rajesh Jain, Aishwary Potdar, Vivek Baghel and Pankaj Jethani, MP Public Relations Department officer Rajesh Parte said.

Parte said Keolari police arrested Raj Rajput and Santosh Janghela for posting objectionable messages on WhatsApp after the Ayodhya verdict.

He said police action came under relevant provisions of Information Technology Act.

The Supreme Court in a unanimous verdict on Saturday cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.