After Demonstrations over a visual Portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed in a Textbook, a Hyderabad Publisher was Arrested

FIR filed against publisher for alleged depiction of Prophet Mohammed in textbook, leading to protests in Hyderabad.

on Oct 10, 2023

After Demonstrations over a visual Portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed in a Textbook, a Hyderabad Publisher was Arrested | Frontlist

Visual representations of the Prophet are not permitted under Islamic law in order to prevent idol worship.

An FIR was filed in Hyderabad on Monday against a publisher for allegedly displaying a 'picture' of Prophet Mohammed in a fourth-grade textbook.

The textbook was handed at a private school within the Kalapathar police station's jurisdiction, and the depiction of the Prophet in it triggered protests from some people on Sunday night, according to witnesses. Following that, a complaint was filed with the police against the publication of the 'image,' stating that the act was offensive to Muslims.

Visual representations of the Prophet are not permitted under Islamic law in order to prevent idol worship. According to a senior police official, a case was registered under 153 A (promoting enmity between different religious groups), 504 A (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and other relevant IPC sections against the publisher and the school management based on the complaint.

Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), a Telangana political party, also criticised the publication of the fictitious photo, claiming that it was done on purpose to offend the religious sensitivities of the Muslim community.

MBT leader Amjed Ullah Khan wrote to Telangana Education Minister, demanding that the printer, publisher, school management, and anyone responsible for the visual representation of the Prophet in the textbook be held accountable.