Indian Police has dropped sedition charges against 15 Muslims arrested for chanting pro-Pakistan slogans in Madhya Pradesh, The Indian Express reported Thursday.

The men were arrested following Pakistan's Champions Trophy final victory against arch-rivals India on the complaint of an individual.

Most of the arrested are daily wage labourers or small farmers.

Activists and organisations around the world, including Amnesty International, had demanded the arrested men to be released immediately and sedition charges against them be dropped.

Amnesty had termed the arrests as "another worrying sign of the erosion of freedom of expression in India".

Families of the arrested individuals had requested the Indian president, human rights organisations and national and state minorities commissions for their release.

The arrested were innocent and some 'miscreants' may have burst the crackers, the father of one of the accused had claimed.

The families of the accused had earlier been cornered by right-wing groups in court premises, according to Indian media reports.

Opinion

A long war?

A long war?

Both sides should have a common interest in averting a protracted conflict but the impasse persists.

Editorial

Interlinked crises
Updated 04 May, 2026

Interlinked crises

The situation vis-à-vis the US-Israeli war on Iran remains tense, with hostilities likely to resume if the diplomatic process fails.
Climate readiness
04 May, 2026

Climate readiness

AS policymakers gather for the Breathe Pakistan conference this week, the urgency is hard to miss. Each year, such...
Kalash preservation
04 May, 2026

Kalash preservation

FOR centuries, the Kalash people have maintained a culture, way of life, language and belief system that is uniquely...
On press freedoms
Updated 03 May, 2026

On press freedoms

THE citizenry forgets, to its own peril, how important a free and independent media is in the preservation of their...
Inflation strain
03 May, 2026

Inflation strain

PAKISTAN’S return to double-digit inflation after 21 months signals renewed economic strain where external shocks...
Troubled waters
03 May, 2026

Troubled waters

PAKISTAN’S water crisis is often framed in terms of scarcity. Increasingly, it is also a crisis of contamination....