Overview

• An FIR citing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions and the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act was filed after a plaque bearing the national emblem inside the Hazratbal shrine was defaced.
• Detention figures reported by political parties and media range from about 25 to nearly 50, and police have not confirmed exact numbers or announced arrests.
• Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi called the defacement a grave insult and urged strict action, while BJP voices pressed for harsh penalties, including use of the Public Safety Act.
• Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the emblem should not have been installed at a religious site and sought an apology, as the NC and PDP demanded an FIR naming Andrabi; the PDP says police refused and it will move court.
• Security at the shrine has been reinforced, videos of the vandalism circulate widely, and commentators warn the dispute could strain Kashmir’s fragile calm given Hazratbal’s sensitivity.