Mumbai Police registers FIR against woman spotted with `Free Kashmir` poster

Mumbai police on Tuesday (January 7) filed an FIR against Mahek Mirza Prabhu, a storyteller and blogger, for displaying 'Free Kashmir' poster during a protest held at Gateway of India in Mumbai on Monday (January 6) against the attack on the students and professors of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

The FIR is filed at Colaba police station under Section 153(B) and but Mumbai Police is yet to call Prabhu to record her statement. It is learnt that the police is also scanning CCTV footage and other video evidence to get more details.

BJP leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had launched a scathing attack on the Uddhav Thackeray government saying 'Free Kashmir anti-India campaign' was held just 2-kilometres away from CMO's office. Taking to Twitter, Fadnavis tweeted, "Protest is for what exactly? Why slogans of “Free Kashmir”? How can we tolerate such separatist elements in Mumbai? ‘Free Kashmir’ slogans by Azadi gang at 2km from CMO? Uddhav ji are you going to tolerate this Free Kashmir Anti India campaign right under your nose???"

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, however, defended Prabhu and said that it was quite possible that she may have asked for freedom from internet and mobile shutdown in the Valley for over five months.

"I read in the newspaper that those who held 'free Kashmir' banner clarified that they want to be free of restrictions on internet services, mobile services and other issues. Also, if anyone talks of freedom of Kashmir from India then it will not be tolerated," Raut said.

Meanwhile, Prabhu took to her YouTube channel on Tuesday giving clarification for holding the 'Free Kashmir' placard. In a 3.26 minute-long video, she stated that she was standing at the protest site with the rest of the demonstrators raising slogans and singing songs about the several issues. She said that she saw placards being made and picked up the 'Free Kashmir' one. She clarified that she is not a Kashmiri but a Marathi born in Maharashtra.

She further said that holding the placard she wanted to talk about the basic constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as the internet services there are under suspension for the last five months. She said that just as the rest of the people in the country have access to the internet so should the people of Jammu and Kashmir to express themselves.