A man named Pramod Soni was arrested in Ranchi, Jharkhand, for allegedly wearing a burqa to impersonate a Muslim woman during a Janmashtami event near Albert Ekka Chowk on Sunday, attended by the Governor, in what authorities say was an attempt to disturb communal harmony.
The event, which included a Dahi Handi competition and cultural performances, was attended by Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, senior Ranchi administration officials, and police, drawing thousands of people, The Indian Express reported.
A woman identified as Nusrat Parveen lodged a complaint after noticing the man’s suspicious behavior while stepping out to buy medicines during the program, observing from his walk and feet that he was not a woman.
Parveen alerted nearby police officers, and the man was apprehended near Zila School after attempting to leave in an e-rickshaw.
Upon removing the veil, it was confirmed that he was a man, identified as Pramod Soni from Palkot, Gumla district.
Parveen said the act was intended to tarnish the image of the community and disrupt social harmony.
“If it were genuinely a Muslim woman in a burqa, no one would object. But when a man from a different faith disguises himself in this way, it is suspicious,” she told The Indian Express.
The officer in charge of Kotwali police station confirmed the arrest, stating that Soni was found wearing jeans under the burqa in suspicious circumstances during the Governor’s program.
An FIR was registered, with the police alleging that his actions were intended to disturb communal harmony. Further inquiries are ongoing to determine his motives.
