INDEPTH: DISRESPECT TO NATIONAL FLAG

PRINCIPAL BOOKED FOR DISRESPECT OF NATIONAL FLAG

The principal of First Expressions pre-school was booked by the sub inspector of Cidco police station for not bringing down the tricolor after sunset. The 26 year old head mistress was booked for Prevention of insult to National Honor Act, 1971. In the recent past, the city has not witnessed any such incident of showing disrespect to the national flag. Commissioner of police Yashasvi Yadav said, "The offence is one of the first such incidents to occur in at least a few years within the jurisdiction of the city police." The flag was hoisted on Friday morning on the occasion of Republic Day.

Investigating officer and police sub-inspector Bharat Pachole told TOI, "Nobody has been arrested so far as the school was closed over the weekend. Hence details of the headmistress could not be obtained."

Sources said that considering the school administration might have forgotten to bring down the flag at sunset; the offences slapped might be under bail-able sections of the act.

The failure to follow the act of 1971 is; Whoever having already been convicted of an offence under section 2 or section 3 is again convicted of any such offence shall be punishable for the second and for every subsequent offence, with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than one year.

As per norms, all government and semi-government institutes apart from educational institutions are duty bound to hoist the flag on Republic Day, Maharashtra Day and Independence Day.