HYDERABAD: Tando Adam police on Monday obtained one-day remand of a shop owner for selling sandals carrying the symbol of Om, a sacred Hindu symbol.

Jehanzeb Khaskheli was arrested on Sunday evening at his shop in Shahi Bazaar, Tando Adam, and an FIR was registered against him under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Khaskheli was remanded in police custody by the Tando Adam court of civil judge and judicial magistrate.

He told police that he had purchased the stock from different traders in Lahore and did not remember exactly which trader had supplied him the sandals with the symbol of Om on them.

Tando Adam SHO Agha Shamshad said that about three days ago a Hindu woman had visited the shop and noticed the selling of such sandals there.

When she expressed her anger over it, the shop owner could not offer any explanation.

The SHO said that about three to four pairs of sandals had the symbol of Om printed on them.

The incident caused an outcry on social media, drawing condemnation from different people and rights groups.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2016