Man held for disrespecting national anthem at cinema hall

Bengaluru: A 29-year-old sound engineer from Australia was detained briefly before being let off on station bail for ‘disrespecting the national anthem’ at a cinema hall on May 7

On Tuesday the arrested Jithin had visited Garuda Mall to watch Avengers, End Game movie. While at the theatre Jithin remained seated while the national anthem playing. Suman Kumar, a person seated next to Jithin reportedly objected to this and chided him thereafter

A verbal argument ensued between the two after Jithin told him that it is not mandatory to stand during the national anthem, if it is being played inside a cinema hall. Suman countered him saying that he was being disrespectful and claimed that Jithin later started abusing the national anthem.

The theatre staff asked both Jithin and Suman to leave the cinema hall after which an enraged Suman approached Ashok Nagar police station and booked a case against Jithin.

Subsequently, Jithin was arrested under section 3 of Prevention of Insult to National Honours Act, 1971. He was questioned by the police and was later sent away on station bail.

Meanwhile, Jithin in a social media post said that he was provoked into “unloading” the expletives after the crowd threatened him with bodily harm.