A Kerala man has been arrested and charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with an objectionable comment he posted on social media in response to a video featuring the daughter of N Ramachandran, the Kerala native killed by terrorists in Pahalgam last year, a senior police officer said.Kerala man charged under UAPA for objectionable remarks on social media against Pahalgam victimMuhammed Sanoof (26), a native of Aikkarappadi in Malappuram district, was detained by the Immigration officials on his arrival from Saudi Arabia, where he was employed, at the Karippur airport on the evening of July 3. He was handed over to the Muttom police in Idukki where an FIR had been registered against him last year.A senior inspector at the Muttom police station told HT that an FIR had been registered against Sanoof in April, 2025 on the basis of a complaint filed by Adeena Alex, a Yuva Morcha activist. The complaint alleged that he made provocative remarks on social media under a video of the daughter of the Pahalgam victimthat incited religious hatred, he said.“On investigation, we found that he was employed in Saudi Arabia. So we issued a lookout circular (LoC) against him at all airports in the country. When he returned to India from Saudi on July 3 and since the LoC was active, he was flagged at the airport and theimmigration officials detained him. He was later handed over to the police,” said the inspector.The police, the official stated, decided to invoke provisions of the UAPA upon interrogating him and analysing his remarks on social media. “The UAPA can be invoked if a person’s remarks or conduct is seen as threatening the unity and sovereignity of the country and incite hatred between people of two faiths. In this case, we found that it can be applied. Being a sensitive case, there are details that I cannot reveal now,” the officer said.After his arrest, Sanoof was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. The police plan to file a petition seeking his custody for further interrogation. With the UAPAbeing invoked, the case is likely to be transferred from the local police to the Crime Branch or Anti-Terrorist Squad of the Kerala police.