Jammu: Fruit sellers in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district were in for a rude shock after they found 'We want freedom', 'I luv Burhan Wani' and 'Zakir Musa come back' emblazoned on the apples they had bought from distributors. Outraged by the incident, the fruit sellers threatened to boycott apples from Kashmir if the government fails to take action as customers were refusing to purchase them due to these messages.

The fruit sellers opened the apple boxes purchased from the wholesale market here only to find the messages written on the apples with black marker.

Led by president of Kathua wholesale market Rohit Gupta, fruit sellers here held protests and raised anti-Pakistan and anti-terrorist slogans.

"The boxes were from Kashmir and the messages were written in English and Urdu," Gupta said.

He demanded that the government and police take strict action against those behind this.

Police meanwhile have launched a probe and met all fruit sellers in this regard.

"We have started investigation into it," Dy SP Majid said.

The apples also had messages like 'Go back India-Go back India', 'Mere Jaan Imran Khan' and 'Pakistan-Pakistan'.

(With additional information from PTI)