Malappuram: The Kerala Police have invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against Muhammed Sanoof (26), a native of Aikkarappadi in the district, who was arrested after returning from Saudi Arabia.

Sanoof was taken into custody by immigration officials upon his arrival at the Karipur International Airport on July 4, following a lookout notice issued in connection with a case registered by the Muttam Police in Kollam in 2025. He was initially detained by Karipur Police before being handed over to the Muttam Police for further investigation.

The case relates to a Facebook comment allegedly posted by Sanoof under a video featuring the daughter of N Ramachandran, one of the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Police had registered the case based on a complaint filed by Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Adeena Bharati.

According to a senior Muttam Police official, UAPA charges were added after the preliminary investigation uncovered what investigators described as "serious offences". "We have interrogated him and examined his mobile phones. The preliminary investigation has revealed some serious issues. At this stage, we cannot disclose further details as the investigation is ongoing. He has been remanded to judicial custody, and a detailed interrogation will be conducted later," the officer said.

BJP calls it 'warning to every Malayali'
Following the arrest, BJP Kerala president Rajeev Chandrasekhar described the case as "a warning to every Malayali". In a Facebook post, he questioned how a young Malayali could allegedly celebrate the killing of another Malayali in the Pahalgam terror attack and said the incident reflected a worrying trend of radicalisation.

Chandrasekhar further alleged that such incidents were the result of years of appeasement politics, the spread of extremist ideologies, and the political approach of the Indian National Congress and the CPM. "When vote-bank politics is given priority over national interest and extremist forces are brought into the mainstream, it creates an environment where such incidents become possible. The Congress and CPM have been fostering this dangerous politics for a long time," he said.