‘Only police were provoked’: Civil rights group slams Bengaluru FIR over Umar Khalid posters

3 min readBengaluruUpdated: Jul 29, 2026 05:19 PM IST A protest at the Freedom Park in Bengaluru (Express photo/Special arrangement).The People’s Union for Civil Liberties–Karnataka (PUCL-K) Tuesday condemned the FIR registered by the Bengaluru police against an unidentified woman over posters carrying slogans in support of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The civil liberties group termed the police action “ill-judged,” “unconstitutional,” and a direct violation of free speech. Addressing the matter on Wednesday, a senior Bengaluru police officer said the investigation was underway. “We will investigate the matter and take action as per the law.”The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint by Sub Inspector Sulochana, who was on security duty during a demonstration at F