Post against Op' Sindoor: Maha police raid Kerala journalist's home

Kochi: The Maharashtra police have conducted a search at the Kochi residence of a student activist and independent journalist from Kerala who was arrested in Nagpur for his social media post against Operation Sindoor. He was accused of preparing to wage war against the union government, police sources said here on Monday, PTI reported.

They said the Maharashtra police team, which arrived here on Sunday, was assisted by personnel from the Anti-Terrorist Squad of the Kerala police during the search carried out at the residence of Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek (26), within the Edappally Police Station limits.

The search, which began at 9.30 pm on Sunday, has now concluded, they said, without providing further details.

Sydeek was arrested by Maharashtra police under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 149 (preparing to wage war against the Government of India), 192 (giving provocation with intent to cause a riot), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 353 (statements conducive to public mischief), among other provisions.

Rejaz, known for reporting on human rights issues in southern India, was taken into custody at a hotel in Nagpur. An FIR filed at Lakadganj police station on May 7 also alleges that Rejaz is affiliated with the banned CPI (Maoist) group. A magistrate court has placed him in police custody until May 13. Rejaz, who holds a social work degree from Kerala University, has written for media outlets like Maktoob and Counter Currents, focusing on topics such as police excesses and human rights abuses in prisons. On April 29, authorities registered a case against him and several other journalists for taking part in a pro-Kashmir demonstration in Kochi. The protest aimed to draw attention to the demolition of homes belonging to those allegedly linked to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.