Eleven men in Srinagar were sent to jail for seven days earlier this week after they allegedly failed to stand for the national anthem at an event attended by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on June 25, The Indian Express reported on Friday.

Some police officials have also been suspended for failing to ensure those attending the closing ceremony of the “Pedal for Peace” cycling event did not rise when the anthem was played, officials told PTI.

The action against was taken after Sinha took note of the incident, according to The Indian Express.

In an order passed on July 3, an executive magistrate in Khanyar tehsil of Srinagar directed the city’s Nishat police station to detain the 11 men for seven days. The order noted that “there is likelihood that they may commit breach of peace and disturb public tranquility if released”.

Scroll has reviewed a copy of the magistrate’s order.

The Srinagar Police, however, have claimed that news reports about the men being arrested for disrespecting the anthem are false.

“Rather 12 persons have been generally bound down for good behaviour under sections 107/151 of CrPC [Code of Criminal Procedure],” they added.

Section 151 allows the police to arrest a person to prevent the commission of cognisable offences. Section 107 allows the executive magistrate to take action when there is likelihood of imminent danger to peace.

Scroll tried to confirm the incident with the police but they did not respond.

Meanwhile, a relative of one of the detained men told The Indian Express that the families were hesitant to talk “because they fear it will cause more harm than help those in custody”.