OKARA: The City B division police picked a boy for inviting people via social media to an event he said he was hosting to mark the death anniversary of slain Indian Punjab singer Sidhu Moosewala, and to pay him homage through aerial fire.

However, the police later released him with a warning on the request of his father as the boy had to appear in the ongoing secondary school examination.

As per the police, Malik Sharjeel, 15, a resident of Samadpura locality, uploaded a post on his social media page saying an event was being held to mark the first death anniversary of the singer, inviting people to join him.

He also mentioned in the post that after holding prayers for the late Moosewala, there will also be aerial firing in memory of the singer, who would eulogies guns in his songs and music videos.

However, the B Division police took notice of the social media post by Sharjeel and after tracing him, picked him up for inciting people to violate ban on aerial fire.

Later, the boy was released when his father Nasir Iqbal apologised for the post and told the police that his son had to appear in the ongoing matriculation exam.

The police also got an affidavit from the father that the boy won’t post such messages in future.

Sidhu Moosewala, who had a huge fan following in India and abroad, was shot dead near his village in Indian Punjab last year.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2023