New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have booked students, wardens and people from the management of two medical colleges in Kashmir under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly “raising anti-India slogans” and “celebrating Pakistan victory” in the T20 World Cup Sunday.
According to the police, people, including students, from the hostels of Sher-E-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Soura and Government Medical College (GMC) in Karan Nagar — both in Srinagar — “burst crackers, danced and raised anti-India slogans” after Pakistan beat India by 10 wickets.
The medical students at SKIMS and staff at the hostel have been booked under Section 13 of UAPA, in which jail term may extend from five to seven years, along with Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code (spreading of false and mischievous news intended to upset the public tranquility), which is punishable with imprisonment up to three years.
The students and staff at GMC too have been booked under the same sections for allegedly “dancing and celebrating Pakistan’s victory over India”
Accused yet to be identified
According to police sources, no one has been named in the two FIRs and the accused are yet to be identified.
The police will rely on mobile phone videos and CCTV footage from the premises of the hostels to identify the accused.
“There are videos that have surfaced in which people are dancing, bursting crackers and celebrating Pakistan’s victory and raising anti-India slogans, and hurting sentiments. We have registered two cases and have begun the probe. The accused will be identified and named in the due course as investigation progresses” the source said.
Another video from downtown Kashmir also surfaced on social media in which people are seen bursting crackers and waving Pakistan flags. ThePrint cannot verify the veracity of the video. The police, however, said that they were looking into that video as well.
“We are looking into a series of videos. Required action will be taken,” the source said.
(Edited by Neha Mahajan)
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