India arrests Muslim youth over alleged pro-Pakistan posts amid tensions

Teenagers and women face police action across India for online remarks seen as sympathetic to Pakistan, renewing scrutiny of past similar arrests

NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — In the wake of heightened military exchanges between India and Pakistan, including reciprocal missile and drone strikes targeting military installations, Indian police have arrested Muslims—mostly youth—for alleged pro-Pakistan remarks on social media. 

Some of the posts included phrases such as “Long Live Pakistan” or images of the Pakistani flag, often shared without full awareness of the consequences.

In the western state of Maharashtra, 19-year-old engineering student Khadeejah Shaikh was arrested after sharing screenshots on Instagram that included comments from Pakistani users criticizing India’s military response.

One of the shared comments ended with the phrase “Pakistan Zindabad” (Long live Pakistan).

According to police, Khadeejah has been booked under several sections of the newly introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including those pertaining to promoting enmity, endangering sovereignty, and hurting religious sentiments.

She has also been rusticated from Sinhgad Academy of Engineering.

However, Khadeejah did not write the slogans herself.

Instead, she reshared posts critical of India’s alleged rush to blame Pakistan for the Pahalgam attack without public evidence.

One of the screenshots highlighted the celebration of a Pakistani child’s death by Hindutva supporters, prompting renewed scrutiny of the double standards in online expression.

In Bhiwandi, another town in Maharashtra, 18-year-old Afsar Ali Shaikh was arrested for posting content in support of Pakistan on his social media account.

Police said his post came after the Pahalgam attack and described it as “objectionable.”

In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, at least five arrests have been made in this week.

In Meerut district, 20-year-old Dilshad was taken into custody after local residents alerted police that his WhatsApp display picture showed a woman holding a Pakistani flag.

Officers reportedly seized his mobile phone and registered a case citing public disturbance.

In Sambhal district, a 25-year-old man named Mohammad Riyaz was arrested for a social media post that said, “No matter what happens, we have to support Pakistan,” and for displaying the Pakistani flag on his Instagram profile.

He has been booked under Section 152 of the BNS, which deals with actions seen as endangering India’s unity and sovereignty.

Other arrests have followed a similar pattern.

In Muzaffarnagar, Anwar Jamil was arrested after a video surfaced showing him allegedly shouting “Pakistan Zindabad.”

He claimed it was an old video recorded on a bet with a friend. 

In Baghpat district, police arrested a Muslim youth for alleged “pro-Pakistan” and “anti-government” posts on social media.

Details of the specific content have not been made public.

Further east, in the state of Bihar, police arrested a young man named Raja on May 8 for allegedly writing “Pakistan Zindabad” on Instagram.

In the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, a 48-year-old Muslim woman was arrested in Kandaghat area for sharing what police called “anti-national” content on Facebook. Her mobile phone was seized after residents complained.

While authorities have justified the arrests as measures to prevent communal unrest, critics have pointed to a troubling pattern.

Over the years, numerous cases have emerged in which Muslims were jailed on similar charges—such as chanting pro-Pakistan slogans or waving flags—only to be later acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Many of the individuals arrested in the recent sweep are teenagers or young adults, often unaware of the legal implications of what they share online.

In a climate of heightened nationalism and public anger, even minor or symbolic gestures have led to swift police action.