Arrest For Facebook Like: Girls Secure Bail, Relative's Clinic Vandalised After Controversial Post

Two girls, arrested for posting allegedly inflammatory comments on Facebook against observing a massive shutdown on the funeral day of Shiv Sena party chief Balasaheb Thackeray, a regional political supremo from Maharashtra, India, were released after securing bail.

They walked out of prison on bail after furnishing a surety of $270 (Rs 15,000). Shaheen Dhada and Renu Srinivasan were charged with hurting religious sentiments under Section 295(a) and Information Technology Act under the Section 66(a) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two women openly apologized over their Facebook status. But it was a little too late as followers of Thackeray went on a rampage and vandalized a hospital owned by of one of the girls' uncle. The miscreants ransacked the hospital, including the operation theatre, besides damaging the equipment.

".... about 30 or 40 men, allegedly Shiv Sena activists, ransacked an orthopaedic clinic that belonged to the uncle of the young woman. They broke window panes, damaged equipment and ripped out beds and wash basins; there were two in-house patients at the clinic at the time. The uncle says he has no fear, but he has suffered a major loss, and no one will pay for the damage," said the report.

Dhada, a student in Mumbai, took to her Facebook page against the shutdown observed in the city for Thackeray. Her status read: "Respect is earned, not given and definitely not forced. Today Mumbai shuts down due to fear and not due to respect... People like Thackeray are born and die daily and one should not observe a bandh for that."

And Renu, a friend of Dhada, committed the crime of pressing the 'like' button for the controversial post that led to her arrest. Both the girls were arrested based on a complaint filed by a local Shiv Sena activist Bhushan Sankhe.

The latest incident raises the issue of freedom of speech in India. The country has witnessed a string of such instances, where people were attacked and arrested by police for expressing their opinions on contentious issues.

Balasaheb Thackeray passed away Saturday at age 86, following a cardio-respiratory arrest. He was a very influential political leader in Maharashtra and was leading an ethnocentric political outfit, Shiv Sena.