Kolkata: Four people were detained for allegedly waving Palestinian flag during the World Cup clash between Pakistan and Bangladesh at Eden Gardens stadium in West Bengal’s Kolkata on Tuesday (October 31), police said. Out of the four detainees, two belong to Jharkhand while the other two hail from Kolkata’s Ekbalpore and Howrah, a senior police official said. "We have detained two of them for waving the Palestinian flag near gate number 6 and the other two at Block G1. We are trying to find out their motive," the IPS officer said.
The police detained them from the Maidan Police station and questioned them, he added.
"Policemen posted there at first could not understand what the protesters were up to. Then they waved the flag of Palestine and were detained. They, however, did not raise any slogan," the officer elaborated.
They were protesting against Israel
According to the Kolkata Police sources, the initial probe revealed that the four people, who are in their 20s, were protesting against Israel in the ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza and they chose the international match between Pakistan and Bangladesh for their stir.
After preliminary questioning, the four spectators – residents of Bally, Ekbalpore and Karaya areas – were let off, the officer said.
Notably, Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan had dedicated Pakistan’s victory against Sri Lanka in the World Cup match in Hyderabad last month to the people of Gaza.
His move had triggered severe backlash from people on social media.
(With PTI inputs)
