Man ‘Thrashed’ While Unfurling Tricolour in Srinagar by Locals

The man, who was apparently part of a group of six “outsiders”, was rescued by the police and the CRPF.

A man was allegedly thrashed by locals at Srinagar's Lal Chowk on Tuesday, 14 August, when he was trying to unfurl the Indian flag at the Clock Tower, reported ANI.

The man was later rescued by the CRPF and the police.

The Maisuma police station has reportedly taken cognisance of the incident and registered an FIR, with investigation being initiated in the matter.

According to PTI, it was a group of six "outsiders" that tried to unfurl the Tricolour at the Lal Chowk city centre on the eve of Independence Day, which turned ugly with some local residents objecting to the flag-hoisting and trying to rough up three of them.

The trio, caught in a spat with the local residents over their flag hoisting bid, then had to be rescued.

As the group, apparently from outside Srinagar, sought to hoist the flag at the historic Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower), the local people assembled there and began raising slogans objecting to the flag-hoisting, PTI reported, citing police officials.

Sensing the aggressiveness of the crowd, three persons of the group fled the spot while the three others were caught in an argument with the local residents.

The police, however, intervened in time and whisked them away, said an official.

Speaking to ANI a day later, the trio said they wanted to spread the message of peace in Kashmir.

We wanted to spread the message of peace in Kashmir. When we took out the tricolour and chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, locals attacked us.

According to IANS, one of the men trying to hoist the national flag was arrested in order to avoid any commotion.

This afternoon, few persons came to Ghanta Ghar in connection with some political activity. Some miscreants assembled at the scene and created disturbances by criminally intimidating them.

J&K police, as quoted by ANI

Last year, around a dozen Shiv Sena activists were reportedly detained for a similar act.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI and IANS.)