NEW DELHI: Indian police said that they have dropped sedition charges against 15 persons, mostly youngsters, in central state of Madhya Pradesh for cheering for a Pakistan cricket team during recent Champions Trophy finals on Thursday.
The men belonging to Muslim community were arrested for allegedly shouting pro-Pakistan slogans, after Pakistan defeated the Indian team at Oval in London on Sunday. According to police the young men have now been charged with “disturbing communal harmony.”
“Since sedition was hard to prove, so the charge has been dropped,” police in Madhya Pradesh told media. None of them has a criminal background but additional charge of conspiracy against them would be there.
Sedition as per Indian law amounts to inciting people to oppose their government. The maximum punishment for sedition in India is life imprisonment. Pakistan won the final match of the trophy, defeating India by 180 runs.
The arrests were made in state’s Burhanpur district, after their Hindu neighbours complained that they set off firecrackers and shouted pro-Pakistan slogans after Pakistan defeated Indian cricket team.
