India arrests 12 for not standing during national anthem

Twelve people have been arrested in southern India for not standing while the national anthem was being played at an international film festival, police said on Tuesday.

The arrests on Monday follow a ruling by India's Supreme Court last month that said the anthem must be played before every film screening in the country, accompanied by a visual of the national flag, and that audiences must stand. The court said the rule was aimed at instilling a sense of patriotism.

The 12 people were arrested in two separate incidents at the film festival, said Anil Kumar, inspector of police in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala state. They were released on bail.