Three Kashmiri students were attacked outside a court in Agra on Thursday. The students, who were recently arrested in Agra, Uttar Pradesh for supporting the Pakistan cricket team during the T20 World Cup match, were roughed up when they were produced in front of a magistrate in the city today. Videos from outside the court show a group of men heckling the students and shouting slogans while the police try to escort them to a police vehicle and take them away. The group can be heard shouting "Pakistan Murdabad" (Down with Pakistan) and "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" (Long live India).
Arsheed Yousuf, Altaf Sheikh, and Showkat Ahmed Ganai, engineering students at the Raja Balwant Singh Management Technical Campus in Agra, were charged with promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion, and cyber-terrorism. A tweet from the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's office indicates they may also face sedition charges.
पाक की जीत का जश्न मनाने वालों पर देशद्रोह लगेगा: मुख्यमंत्री श्री @myogiadityanath जी महाराज pic.twitter.com/34DEij8y3t
— Yogi Adityanath Office (@myogioffice) October 28, 2021
Earlier today, Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, had criticised the "crackdown" and called for the immediate release of the arrested students.
The accused were arrested after a group of activists led by Gaurav Rajawat of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP's youth wing, barged into the college campus without permission and accused the college administration of "sheltering traitors". Mr Rajawat filed a complaint with the police outside the college campus.
The college administration had denied allegations of pro-Pakistan slogans being raised in the college but suspended the students for "being involved in (the) indiscipline act of posting status in favour of Pakistan" after the India-Pakistan match. They had also criticised the right-wing group entering the college and creating a ruckus.
The students were arrested and taken to the Jagdishpura police station in Lohamandi and an FIR was registered under sections 153 A and 505 (1)(b) of the Indian Penal Code and section 66F of the IT Act 2008.
Another student, Niyaz Khan, was arrested in Badaun for an alleged objectionable Facebook post after the match. "I love Pakistan. I miss Pakistan. Jeet Mubarak ho," he reportedly posted. He was charged and sent to jail following a complaint from the right-wing outfit Hindu Jagran Manch.
Four more people have been arrested in the state for allegedly cheering for Pakistan India's crushing loss in the cricket match; three in Bareilly and one in Lucknow.
UP Police have booked 7 people in 5 districts and taken 4 people in custody for allegedly raising pro-Pak slogans or celebrating Pakistan's victory over India in the T20 Cricket World Cup match that took place on Oct 24: CMO pic.twitter.com/o1ceq5L7ED
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) October 27, 2021
A man has also been arrested in the Jaunpur district of the state for allegedly using derogatory and abusive words against the country, news agency PTI reported.
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