A26-year-old man from Kerala has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over an alleged offensive social media comment posted under a video featuring the daughter of a victim of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The accused, identified as Muhammed Sanoof, a resident of Aikkarappadi in Malappuram district, was detained by police after he arrived at Karipur International Airport from Saudi Arabia on July 4.
Case registered after complaint
The case was originally registered last year by the Muttam Police in Kollam following a complaint filed by a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader.
According to police, Sanoof had allegedly posted an objectionable comment under a video featuring the daughter of N. Ramachandran, a Kochi resident who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.
A lookout notice had been issued against him, leading to his detention upon his return to India.
UAPA invoked after questioning
Police said the stringent UAPA was invoked after Sanoof was questioned and his mobile phone was examined. Officials claimed that the preliminary investigation and digital evidence collected during the interrogation led them to add charges under the anti-terror law.
Sanoof has been remanded to judicial custody, and police are expected to seek his custody for further interrogation.
Probe may be handed to specialised agency
Officials said the investigation could soon be transferred to either the Crime Branch or the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for a detailed probe. The police have not disclosed the nature of the evidence recovered from the accused’s mobile phone.
Reacting to the arrest, BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar called the case a “wake-up call” and questioned how a young man from the state could allegedly celebrate the killing of a fellow Keralite in the Pahalgam terror attack.
He claimed the incident reflected years of radicalisation and accused the Congress and the CPI(M) of pursuing appeasement politics. Chandrasekhar also said Kerala should focus on development and stronger integration with India’s growth story instead of what he described as “dangerous politics.”