Navi Mumbai: Man held for using Aurangzeb’s photo as status on WhatsApp

An FIR was registered by Navi Mumbai police against a man for allegedly using Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's image as his Whatsapp profile picture after the issue was raised by a Hindu organisation, an official said. Police detained the man in Vashi, who works in an outlet of a mobile service provider. He was allowed to go and a notice was issued to him.

The screenshot of Aurangzeb's profile picture was submitted to the police by a Hindu organisation, leading to registration of the case under sections 298 (Uttering words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings) and 153-A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) of the Indian Penal Code, the official said.

Incidents of communal tension have taken place in various cities of Maharashtra recently over the alleged glorification of Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan.  In Kolhapur city, protesters pelted stones during a demonstration against the alleged use of Tipu Sultan's image along with an objectionable audio message as social media 'status' by a few locals on Wednesday.