Rajasthan: Tension grips Pokaran over objectionable Yoga Day post; 13 held

Jaisalmer, Jun 23 (PTI) At least 13 people were arrested in Rajasthan's Pokaran town after tension erupted over an objectionable social media post related to the International Yoga Day, police on Monday said.

The tension gripped the area after a man was arrested for allegedly sharing an objectionable post about the Yoga Day, they said.

A crowd gathered outside the Pokaran Police Station around 11 pm on Sunday following the arrest, leading to disruption of public order, said a police officer.

Superintendent of Police Sudhir Chaudhary said that the protest was led by Firoz Khan, the husband of a local sarpanch.

"Firoz Khan misled people and incited them to gather at the police station. He has been arrested along with five of his associates for obstructing government work and creating unrest," said Chaudhary.

Seven other individuals were also arrested for breach of peace, taking the total number of arrests to 13, he added.

The superintendent of police visited Pokaran to assess the situation and instructed officials to take strict action against those attempting to disturb law and order.

"The situation is now completely under control," said Chaudhary.

The other suspects have been identified and teams are conducting searches to arrest them, police said.

The authorities here have reiterated that they are maintaining zero tolerance towards any act, which disturbs communal harmony or public peace.

Chaudhary also appealed to the public to refrain from sharing or reacting to objectionable content on social media.

A close watch is being kept on online activity, he said. PTI