Police Invoke UAPA, BNS Section For 'Terrorist Act' Against Beed Mosque Blast Case Accused

New Delhi: The police have invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section for “terrorist act” against two accused men – Vijay Rama Gavhane (22) and Shriram Ashok Sagde (24) – arrested in the case of a blast that took place in Maharashtra’s Beed district last month.

The blast took place on March 30, on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, allegedly after an altercation between two groups during a procession, reported Press Trust of India.

While nobody was injured in the blast triggered by gelatin sticks, the internal portion of the mosque was damaged.

The two accused, both local residents, were arrested within hours of the blast.

The Beed police initially registered a case under various BNS sections, including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, covering insults) and 196 (promoting enmity between).

Initially the Beed police had registered the case under various BNS sections, including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, covering insults) and 196 (promoting enmity between).

Officials said that during the investigation, the police invoked BNS section 113 (terrorist act) and UAPA sections 15, 16 and 18 that deal with the “terrorist act, punishment for terrorist act and conspiracy”.

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