The owner of an eatery shop and his employee have been arrested for allegedly putting up posters carrying inflammatory messages in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad district, the police said.
According to the police, the posters were found to be a result of business rivalry rather than communal animosity.
The police acted on Tuesday after receiving reports about the incident.
These posters were found in several locations within the Kotwali area, raising concerns about potential communal tension, they said.
SP City Kumar Ranvijay Singh said that Kotwali police reviewed CCTV footage and the probe revealed that Rajesh Bhurji (48), who owns an eatery shop on GMD Road, and his employee Prince (19) were seen putting up the posters during the night.
During questioning, they confessed that a month ago, a person named Aman had set up a momos stall right next to their shop, which affected their sales and led to a decrease in customers, he said.
So, to reduce the momos sales at the neighboring stall, they resorted to putting up these posters, the officer said.
The SP confirmed that the posters have since been removed.
The arrested men are currently being interrogated, and legal action will be taken against both individuals. -- PTI