Maharashtra police raids Kochi house of student activist

Kochi: Maharashtra Police on Sunday held searches at the house of a Kochi native who was arrested in Nagpur for allegedly criticizing Operation Sindoor.

The raid was held on Sunday evening at the Edapally house of the accused Rejaz M Sydeek, 26, a student activist and freelance journalist. According to reports, Maharashtra Police had charged him with waging war against India, following an Instagram post in which he criticized Operation Sindoor, India's military action against terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In the said post, he was allegedly posing with two guns in each hand, police alleged.

The police in Nagpur have also alleged that he was mobilising funds and preparing propaganda material in support of a nationwide campaign for truce with Maoists.

The police team from Maharashtra arrived in Kochi as part of further investigation into the case. City police sources said that assistance, if needed, were being provided to the team.

Earlier, Ernakulam South Police had registered a case against Rejaz for conducting a protest gathering in Panampilly Nagar. The gathering was held on April 29 to protest the demolition of houses of terror accused in Jammu and Kashmir, citing that such demolition was against Supreme Court rulings. He was among those booked then for unlawful assembly and obstructing road traffic, said police.