Police registered case; appeals people to desist from spreading rumours/false information
Srinagar: Classwork was on Wednesday suspended at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) after protests over a student’s social media post, officials said.
They said all academic activities, including classes, examinations, and administrative work, will remain suspended.
A notification to this effect was issued by in-charge Registrar of the NIT Srinagar, Atikur Rehman, they added.
Protests were held at the institute on Tuesday over a student’s social media post allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
The protesters demanded stringent action against the non-local student who has been sent home on leave.
The students blocked both the gates of the institution, located in the Nigeen area of the city, and raised slogans inside the campus.
Meanwhile police on Wednesday said it has filed a case for promoting religious enmity between communities against a student of the NIT here for allegedly sharing a derogatory video on social media.
The FIR was registered under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), and 153 (wantonly giving provocation, with intent to cause riot) of the IPC against the student.
The charges carry imprisonment of up to three years.
“Police have taken cognisance of the incident of uploading of sensitive content against religious sentiments of a particular community by one student of NIT Srinagar. Upon receipt of communication from NIT authorities, case FIR No.156/23 u/s 295A,153A,153 IPC registered in PS Nigeen,” Srinagar Police said in a post on X on Wednesday.
Late Tuesday evening, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, V K Birdi said the police have received a written complaint from the NIT Registrar urging legal action.
“We have taken legal action under relevant sections of the law. The investigation is going on,” the IGP said.
He said the student had posted objectionable content on social media, though the video was not the student’s own, but taken from YouTube.
The police have appealed to the people to desist from spreading rumours/false information.
“They shouldn’t fall prey to false propaganda of anti-social elements. Legal action shall be taken against those who are found to be involved in provocative act/instigation,” the police said in the post on X.
