Malappuram, 06 July (H.S.):
The Kerala Police have invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against a 26-year-old man from Malappuram who was arrested after returning from Saudi Arabia in connection with a case linked to an alleged social media comment on the Pahalgam terror attack.
The accused, Muhammed Sanoof, a native of Aikkarappadi in Malappuram district, was taken into custody by immigration authorities at Karipur International Airport on July 4 after a lookout circular had been issued against him. The alert was based on a case registered by the Muttam Police in Kollam district in 2025.
Following his detention at the airport, Sanoof was initially taken into custody by the Karipur Police before being handed over to the Muttam Police, who are investigating the case.
The case relates to a Facebook comment allegedly posted by Sanoof under a video featuring the daughter of N. Ramachandran, one of the victims killed in the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Police registered the case on the basis of a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Adeena Bharati.
According to investigators, Sanoof was questioned after his arrest and his mobile phones were examined as part of the probe. Police said the preliminary investigation uncovered what they described as serious offences, prompting them to invoke provisions of the UAPA in addition to the charges already registered in the case.
A senior officer of the Muttam Police said the investigation was at a crucial stage and that further details could not be disclosed at present.
We have interrogated him and examined his mobile phones. The preliminary investigation has revealed some serious issues. At this stage, we cannot disclose further details as the investigation is ongoing, the officer said.
Police said Sanoof has been remanded to judicial custody. Investigators are expected to seek his custody for detailed interrogation as the probe progresses.
The arrest has also triggered political reactions. BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar described the case as a warning to every Malayali. In a Facebook post, he questioned how a young Malayali could allegedly celebrate the killing of another Malayali in the Pahalgam terror attack and said the incident reflected a disturbing trend of radicalisation.
Chandrasekhar further alleged that years of appeasement politics and the spread of extremist ideologies had contributed to such incidents. He accused the Congress and the CPM of placing vote-bank politics above national interest and claimed that such an approach had created an environment in which extremist tendencies could gain ground.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
