Man Destroys Portugal's Flag Raised By Ronaldo Fans In Kerala, Arrested

A man was arrested for allegedly destroying the flag of Portugal that had been raised at a roadside junction in the Panur area in Kerala's Kannur by the fans of football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

The video of the man tearing apart the European nation's flag went viral on social media after some online platforms claimed that the man, allegedly a BJP supporter, destroyed the flag as he mistook it for the flag of SDPI, a political party.

The Social Democratic Party of India (DPSI) was floated by the now-banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) a decade ago.

The incident was reported from Panur Vaidyar Peedika on Tuesday evening.

Police, however, said the man may be a BJP supporter but he did the act in an inebriated state.

"He is not an active worker of the BJP and he does not have a history of creating troubles," a police officer told PTI.

Flags of other nations including Argentina and Brazil have also been erected at the junction by the football fans of these nations, they said.

The man was released on station bail after charging him under relevant sections of the Kerala Police Act, they added. The BJP has not reacted to the allegations.

Football fever has gripped the state ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)