Madhya Pradesh Police Arrests Man For Urinating On Tribal Labourer, NSA Invoked

The Madhya Pradesh Police on Tuesday arrested Pravesh Shukla after a video showing him allegedly urinating on a tribal man went viral on social media. Shukla has been charged under the National Security Act (NSA) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 294 (obscene acts and songs), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Multiple police teams were deployed to track Shukla, who had reportedly been changing his locations. He was apprehended late at night and is currently being interrogated by the police. As per the details, the incident took place at the Kubari market of Sidhi district.

The viral video, which surfaced around three months ago, caught the attention of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who ordered swift and severe action against the accused. Chouhan took to Twitter, stating, "A viral video from Sidhi district has come to my notice. I have instructed the administration to arrest the culprit, take strict action, and impose the NSA (National Security Act)."

The Congress party alleged that Shukla is associated with BJP's Sidhi MLA, Kedarnath Shukla, a claim that both the party and the MLA have denied.

In response to Shukla's arrest, BSP supremo Mayawati urged the Madhya Pradesh BJP government to take additional measures, such as seizing or demolishing his property, regardless of his political affiliation. She emphasized that incidents like these bring shame to everyone involved.

The arrest of Pravesh Shukla and the application of the National Security Act reflect the seriousness with which the authorities are addressing the incident. It sends a strong message that such acts of disrespect and humiliation towards any individual or community will not be tolerated. The focus is on upholding the dignity, rights, and security of all citizens,

On social media, the man who urinated on a tribal man sitting on the stairs was described as a close supporter of local MLA Kedarnath Shukla, but the MLA himself has denied this. The victim has been identified as Pale Kol. BJP MLA Kedarnath Shukla has clarified that Pravesh Shukla is not his aide.

Kedarnath Shukla said, “He (the culprit in the video) is neither my representative nor an associate. He is not connected to BJP in any way. I am demanding strict action against the culprit. When we visit our constituency, so many people click photos with us. But he is not attached to us in any way. He has shamed humanity and strict action should be taken against him."

“We have taken the accused (Pravesh Shukla) into custody. He is under interrogation. Further legal action in the matter will be taken soon,” said Anju Lata Patle, assistant superintendent of police. Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh as per a report in Hindustan Times.

What Is National Security Act (NSA)?

The National Security Act of 1980 is indeed an act of the Indian Parliament that was promulgated on 23 September 1980. Its purpose is to provide for preventive detention in certain cases and other related matters. The act applies to the entire country of India and consists of 18 sections.

The main objective of the National Security Act (NSA) is to empower the Central Government and State Governments to detain individuals to prevent them from engaging in activities that are deemed prejudicial to the security of India, India's relations with foreign countries, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of essential supplies and services to the community.

The act also grants the government the authority to detain foreigners with the aim of regulating their presence in India or expelling them from the country. This provision is primarily intended to manage the entry and stay of foreigners in India.

It is worth noting that the act was passed during the government of Indira Gandhi in 1980. Since its enactment, the National Security Act has been subject to scrutiny and criticism regarding its potential misuse and violation of human rights.

According to a report from 1993, out of 3,783 people detained under the National Security Act, 72.3 percent were later released due to a lack of evidence. This statistic suggests that a significant number of detentions made under the act did not result in substantial evidence to support the detention.

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