Three Kashmiri students who were arrested for allegedly hailing the Pakistan cricket team’s victory over India in the T20 World Cup 2021 match, were on Thursday roughed up and heckled by a group of men outside a court in Agra when they were being produced before a magistrate. A woman Government employee was terminated from service for c” at Rajouri in the Pir Panjal valley of Jammu on Thursday after her WhatsApp status allegedly celebrated the Pakistan team’s victory.
In an order issued by Dr. Brij Mohan, Principal of the Government Medical College, Rajouri, an operation theatre technician, Safiya Majeed, was terminated from service after, the order read, “A viral video seems to have posted her WhatsApp status showing celebration of defeat of the Indian Cricket Team against Pakistan in T-20 World Cup 2021, the activity which seems to be disloyalty towards nation.”
An FIR had been lodged against Arsheed Yousuf, Inayat Altaf Sheikh and Showkat Ahmed Ganai for allegedly posting a WhatsApp status message praising Pakistan players after India’s defeat against the former in the T20 World Cup cricket match. Police said it was also investigating charges of sedition against the three students.
After being produced in a local court, a group of men, including some in the uniforms of lawyers, were seen charging at the three students as the police was escorting them into the back of a jeep. The men also raised slogans against Pakistan and shouted “Bharat Mata ki jai ” and “Vande Mataram.”
The students, of the Raja Raja Balwant Singh Engineering Technical Campus Bichpuri in Agra, were sent to 14 days of judicial custody, said the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association., a group of Kashmiri students.
The J&K Students Association appealed to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to drop the sedition charges against the three students on humanitarian grounds. “Sedition charge against students is an unacceptably harsh punishment that will ruin their futures and will further alienate them. These charges will have serious consequences on academic and future career of the students and should be immediately withdrawn,” said Nasir Khuehami, national spokesperson of the association.
Mr. Khuehami also demanded punishment and strict action against the persons involved in roughing up the three students in court premises in Agra. Attacking students is a worrying factor for students and parents, he said, adding that these incidents may increase the sense of insecurity and anxiety among Kashmiri students studying outside, as well as among their parents and relatives in Kashmir.
