Police in Narauli town of Sambhal district have arrested seven individuals after posters with slogans like “Free Gaza, Free Palestine” appeared on the walls of shops. The posters also allegedly called on members of the Muslim community to boycott Israeli products and shop only from businesses run by Muslims.
According to Baniyather Station House Officer (SHO) Ramveer Singh, the arrests were made after reviewing CCTV footage and speaking to shop owners whose walls had been used for the posters. Those arrested were identified as Asim, Saif Ali, Rahees, Matloob, Fardeen, Arman, and Arbaz.
The incident triggered sharp reactions from Bajrang Dal, a Hindutva outfit. Local convenor Nitin Sharma claimed the posters were not just expressions of solidarity with Palestine, but deliberate attempts to spread communal hatred.
“These are not just posters. They represent a dangerous mentality that is seeping into the district,” Sharma said.
“In West Bengal, atrocities against Hindus are rising. Now in Narauli, we are seeing attempts to incite communal division by urging Muslims to buy only from Muslims,” he added.
Sharma warned that if authorities failed to act decisively, right-wing groups like Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal would “take matters into their own hands.”
The arrests come against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza, where over 51,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in Israel’s offensive that began after the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel.
The police have not yet disclosed the sections under which the arrests were made or whether any of those arrested have prior records. The matter is being further investigated.
While support for Palestine is not uncommon across sections of Indian civil society, this incident has stirred tensions locally, especially with right-wing groups interpreting the posters as attempts to fuel religious segregation.
