Mumbai: Mumbai police on Monday arrested five individuals for supporting arrested Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari, accused of hate speech in Gujarat. The accused men have been booked for obstructing officials in the performance of their duties.

The Gujarat police arrested Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari from Ghatkopar in Mumbai regarding an FIR filed against him for reportedly delivering a hate speech at an event in Junagadh city on the night of January 31. Following the viral spread of a video depicting the incident, Azhari and two others were charged under sections 153B and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code.

On Sunday, news of Azhari’s arrest led to hundreds of people gathering on the arterial LBS road, congregating at the Ghatkopar police station. They demanded Azhari’s immediate release, prompting the police to use mild force to disperse the crowd. Subsequently, five individuals from the mob were arrested under sections 353, 332, and other offences, including rioting. DeshGujarat