Nine arrested in connection with the controversial video that contains footages of burning national flag

Published On: August 19, 2020 03:15 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, August 19: Police have arrested nine people in connection with a controversial music video named 'Deshdrohi' that contains the footage of burning Nepal’s national flag and inciting hatred against certain ethnicities.

Those arrested from different parts of Kathmandu Valley include the singer and the songwriter Glagen Dorje Tamang and eight other actors as well as those behind the production of the controversial video. The controversial music video shows glimpses of people burning Nepal’s national flag and inciting hatred against two major ethnicities of Nepal.

Ever since the video was released on YouTube through the channel named 'Mangolhop Official' on Monday, there were calls all over social media to ban the music video. The demand was made as people claimed that the song portrayed offensive use of language that promoted hate speech towards a certain ethnicities in the country and harming the national unity subsisting among people.

Following widespread criticisms and complaints from all levels, police had started a probe to find people behind the music video on Tuesday. "As of now, we have arrested nine people in relation to the controversial music video. Further investigations are underway," said SSP Deepak Thapa, chief of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) in Kathmandu.

Six people were arrested by a police team deployed by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), while three others were arrested by a separate police team sent by the MPCD.

SSP Thapa said the division had started an investigation on the issue in collaboration with the Cyber Crime Bureau, Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and the Provincial Police Office of Bagmati Province. Police investigation had found that the video was shot at Bishnu Basic School, Salleni in Bagmati Rural Municipality of Makwanpur district.

The arrested persons will face three charges that include charges for crime against the state and national integrity, cyber-crime and the charge of burning the country’s national flag. "Police will make sure that these people will face maximum charges for their act," said SSP Thapa.

Section 151 of the Civil criminal Code Act of 2074 BS mentions that anyone found desecrating the national flag or the national song may be liable to up to three years of jail and up to Rs. 30,000 fines.