Fort Kochi hate video: North Indian vlogger booked for riot intent, inciting communal disharmony

Kochi: The Ernakulam City Police have registered a case against a North Indian vlogger over remarks about Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi, which triggered a backlash on social media in Kerala.

The complaint refers to a video circulated through the Instagram account ‘littichokha_up_’, in which the vlogger, Amrit Singh Darren, questions the display of portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah together at the cafe and objects to the serving of beef.

In the video, Darren also claims that Muslims account for 95% of business owners, taxi and autorickshaw drivers, small traders and street vendors in the area. He further alleges that residents with right-wing views are afraid to speak openly and have asked him not to reveal their locations in his videos.

The police registered the FIR under Sections 353(2) and 192 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Section 353(2) deals with statements, false information, rumours or reports circulated with the intention of promoting, or which are likely to promote, enmity, hatred or ill will between different religious, racial, linguistic or regional groups, castes or communities. Section 192 deals with malicious or wanton acts intended to provoke a person, with the intention or knowledge that such provocation is likely to lead to rioting.

The case follows the controversy surrounding the vlogger’s remarks, which drew criticism on social media in Kerala.