Srinagar, Oct 26: Police on Monday registered two separate FIRs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against hostel wardens, the college management and students for allegedly celebrating the Pakistani cricket team’s victory in Sunday’s T-20 World Cup match and raising “pro-Pakistan slogans”.
This came at a time when Home minister Amit Shah was on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the very first since the reading down of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state.
The cases have been registered against the students living in hostels at the Government Medical College in Karan Nagar here and SKIMS Soura, the officials said.
The two cases under the UAPA have been registered in Karan Nagar and Soura police stations respectively, they said.
Videos of the celebrations of Pakistan’s victory against arch-rivals India at many places in the Valley went viral on social media. The match took place on Sunday in Dubai.
At many places, fire crackers were also burst following Pakistan’s victory.
The J&K Students Association has, meanwhile, urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to withdraw the UAPA charges on humanitarian grounds.
In a statement, national spokesperson of the Association, Nasir Khuehami, said the UAPA charges against students is a harsh punishment which will ruin their future and “will further alienate them”.
“We are not justifying their act, but it will result in their career assassination. The charges will have serious consequences on academic and future career of the students,” he said.
Meanwhile in a related development, six people have been detained by police after a video purportedly showing “objectionable slogans” being raised by a group of persons in Samba district, following a T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan, went viral on social media, officials said on Tuesday.
The video triggered widespread protests by various social organisation in Samba district.
The video shows over two dozen people belonging to a particular community celebrating the victory of Pakistan cricket team against India, and raising slogans on Sunday night.
“Six people have been detained in this regard and investigation is going on,” Deputy Commissioner, Samba, Anuradha Gupta said.
A police officer said an FIR has been registered.
SSP Samba Rajesh Sharma said the detained people are being questioned regarding the incident. More people may be called for questioning, he said.
