Kalaburagi, 5 Oct

A 22-year-old youth has been arrested for allegedly editing and circulating a morphed image showing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath holding a saffron flag atop the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest site in Mecca.

The accused, Anand Guttedar, a resident of Ijeri village in Yadrami taluk under Jewargi Police Station limits, allegedly posted the edited photo on his Instagram account. The image quickly went viral, sparking outrage among local Muslim organisations.

Members of the Tipu Sultan Committee and Adarsha Grama Samiti Yalawar condemned the act, claiming it hurt religious sentiments. They demanded Guttedar’s arrest and called on police to identify any others involved.

A delegation led by Mohiyuddin Inandar, Ibrahim Patel Yalawar, Saddam Hussain, Nisar Inandar, and Syed Nasir, along with local youths from Ijeri and Jewargi, visited Jewargi Police Station on Saturday night and filed a voluntary complaint, pressing for strict legal action.

Based on a complaint filed by Syed Patel, the police registered a case under relevant sections, arrested Guttedar, and launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities confirmed that further inquiries are ongoing to determine whether others were involved in circulating or promoting the morphed image.

Police officials stressed that action would be taken against anyone found attempting to hurt religious sentiments or incite communal tensions through social media.