Udupi: Police Register Cases Over Social Media Posts Opposing Muslim Group’s Role In Paryaya Celebrations

Udupi: Two cases have been registered by Karkala Rural Police over allegedly objectionable Facebook posts opposing the Jilla Muslim Sneha Samiti’s participation in the programs related to Paryaya celebrations of Shirooru Math in Udupi.

The Paryaya celebration of Shirooru Math, one of the 8 Mutts of Udupi, is scheduled on January 18.

According to the police, on January 3, a Facebook account named Sudeep Shetty Nitte allegedly posted a message criticising the participation of the Muslim Friendship Committee in the Paryaya procession. The post claimed that Hindu–Muslim harmony could not be achieved merely by distributing juice and water bottles or by participating in the Hindu Paryaya procession, and was alleged to have been worded in a manner that could incite hatred between religions and disturb public harmony. Based on this, a case was registered under Sections 196(1), 353(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. A special team has been formed to trace the accused.

In a second case, an identical post allegedly made from a Facebook account named Sudhakar Appu Nitte on the same day led to the registration under the same sections of the BNS. The accused, Sudhakar (37), a resident of Nitte village in Karkala taluk of Udupi district, was taken into custody and produced before a court, which remanded him to 15 days of judicial custody.

The cases come amid a social media debate over communal harmony and participation of Muslim community in the forthcoming Paryaya festivities at Udupi Sri Krishna Math.

The Jilla Muslim Snena Samiti had announced that it would extend support to the Paryaya celebrations, including distributing cool drinks to the people during the purapravesha (ceremonial entry of the Swamiji to Udupi) on January 9.

The committee had also announced that it would offer a hore kanike (ceremonial offering) on January 13 and participate in the procession by playing the daf drum. It further declared that around 10,000 drinking water bottles would be distributed on the day of the Paryaya Mahotsava.

Following these announcements, several Hindu organisations raised objections, triggering sharp reactions on social media.

Police said they are closely monitoring social media platforms to prevent the spread of content that could disturb communal harmony and have warned that strict action will be taken against those violating the law.