Representative image.
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Thiruvananthapuram: A balloon with a picture of Pakistan's flag and pro-Pakistan message has put a shopkeeper at Tripunithura in Kochi in trouble.
A local native purchased some balloons from the shop the other day in connection with his child' birthday celebrations. He was surprised to see the writing 'I love Pakistan' and the image of Pakistan's flag appear on one of the balloons when it was inflated. Subsequently the matter was reported to the police the other day.
Tripunithura Hill Palace police subsequently carried out a search at the shop on Tuesday, but could not find any other such balloon. However, a case was registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 196 for promoting enmity and further probe to find the source of the balloon was progressing.
Tripunithura Hill Palace police station inspector Ananda Babu said that the shop keeper had stated that he had purchased the balloon from a wholesale shop at Broadway in Kochi. No other balloons were found to have the pro-Pakistan flag or message. Some balloons were found to be having messages written in foreign languages. So far there was no evidence for any doubtful intention of the shopkeeper. Hence he was not yet arraigned in the case. Further probe to trace the source of the balloon was progressing, he told DH.
BJP local workers staged a protest at Tripunithura in this connection on Tuesday. The shopkeeper is a native of Kasargod.