Police invokes UAPA against two men held in Beed mosque blast case

Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section for terrorist act against two men arrested in the case of blast at a mosque in Maharashtra's Beed district, officials said.

Gelatin sticks went off at the mosque in Ardha Masla village in Georai tehsil on March 30, on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, allegedly after an altercation between two groups during a procession, leading to the arrest of the two men.

While no one was injured in the blast, the internal portion of the structure was damaged.

Police arrested local residents Vijay Rama Gavhane (22) and Shriram Ashok Sagde (24) within hours of the blast.

The Beed police initially registered a case under various BNS sections, including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, covering insults) and 196 (promoting enmity between).

During the investigation, the police have now invoked BNS section 113 (terrorist act) and UAPA sections 15, 16 and 18 that deal with the terrorist act, punishment for terrorist act and conspiracy, an official said.

Securing bail is difficult under the UAPA.

The arrested persons are in police custody, the official added.