Sabarimala violence case: Rahul Easwar arrested for defying bail conditions
Palakkad, Dec 17 : Two days after a local court revoked his bail in a case related to violent protests at Sabarimala, Ayyappa Dharma Sena leader Rahul Easwar was arrested by police Monday.
A team of police personnel took Easwar into custody from a rest house here, recorded his arrest and then took him to Ranni in Pathanamthitta for producing him before a court, police said.
The Ayyappa Dharma Sena leader, who spearheaded protests against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, was here to attend a programme, they said.
Soon after the arrest, Easwar told reporters that he had not defied any bail conditions. He said he came here to attend a function organised by the Hindu Mahasabha.
A court at Ranni in Pathanamthitta district had revoked the bail granted to Easwar on December 15 and directed the police to re-arrest him for defying a bail condition. He was out on bail in the case relating to violence at the Lord Ayyappa shrine when it was opened for the monthly 'pooja' on October 17.
One of the bail conditions imposed by the court was that he has to report to Pathanamthitta police station every Saturday. However, on December 8, he failed to appear, police had said.
Easwar was earlier arrested from Pamba following violent protests at Sabarimala.
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On Eid, Shia Muslims in MP denounce killing of Khamenei; chant slogans against US, Israel
Bhopal (PTI): Most members of the Shia Muslim community refrained from celebrating Eid on Saturday as they denounced the killing of Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israel strikes, and chanted slogans against the two countries in protest.
However, members of the Sunni Muslim community celebrated the festival with fervour by flooding Eidgahs across the state to offer prayers.
Eid is being celebrated across the country on Saturday.
After offering namaz, Shias raised slogans against the United States and Israel for their attack on Iran.
To register their protest against Khamenei's killing, some of them arrived at the prayer grounds in Bhopal and elsewhere in the state wearing black armbands and dressed in simple and old clothes, reflecting a sombre mood.
Children from the Shia community were also seen wearing black armbands.
A photograph of Khamenei was placed at the Imambara in the state capital.
Khamenei was killed in the last week of February. He belonged to the Shia community.
During the address, Maulana Razi-ul-Hasan spoke about standing up against oppression.
Talking to PTI over phone from Burhanpur, All India Shia Samaj state president Iftikhar Ali, popularly known as Jaani Pahalwan, said, "After offering namaz at Sidhipura Imamiya Masjid and thereafter raising slogans against US- Israel, I returned home. My community and I are not celebrating Eid."
He said he was not celebrating the joyous festival due to the Israel-US excesses in Iran.
Around 4,000 Shia families in the state are largely concentrated in Bhopal, Jabalpur, Indore, Vidisha, Ujjain, Burhanpur, Itarsi in Narmadapuram district and Jaora in Ratlam district, he added.
Sunnis celebrated the festival across Madhya Pradesh by offering namaz in Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Ujjain, and other places.
In Bhopal, their city Qazi Syed Mushtaq Ali Nadvi announced the celebration of Eid after the moon was not sighted on Thursday.
The first namaz was offered at the Eidgah at 7.30 am on Saturday, followed by prayers at Jama Masjid and Moti Masjid.
A special prayer was held at Taj-ul-Masajid under the supervision of Maulana Hassan Sahib where a large number of people were present.
