Hubballi: Three Kashmiri students charged with sedition for hailing Pakistan

HUBBALLI: Three students from Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir were arrested here on Saturday on charges of sedition after a video where the trio are seen raising pro-Pakistan slogans went viral.
The students, all civil engineering students of KLE Institute of Technology, located on Gokul Road, Hubballi, have allegedly celebrated the Pulwama terror attack and created a video hailing Pakistan.
The video went viral on social media platforms on Friday evening, but caught police’s attention when right-wing activists approached the college seeking action against the students on Saturday.
Principal Basavaraj Anami told media that the college took immediate action by suspending the trio.
Hubballi students disturbed communal harmony: Police
The three students were named as Aamir Mohiuddin Wani, a third-year student, and Basit Asif Sofi and Talib Majeed, secondsemester students.
“We booked all the three students for sedition. They are also booked for disturbing communal harmony,” said R Dileep, police commissioner. He said the background of the students, including possible links to any anti-national outfit, is yet to be ascertained. “The students were taken into custody in the afternoon. The investigation is on. It is too early to comment on them. It is not clear when the video was shot. We have confiscated their mobiles, and we will send them to the forensic laboratory,” he said.
The commissioner refused to comment on what the accused are heard saying in the minute-long video. Requesting the public to maintain peace, the city police chief said: “The students are at a vulnerable age. I assure the public that the investigation will be taken to a logical end.” Sources claimed the controversial video was shot in a hostel room. The trio had skipped the annual sports event on Friday, but was spotted on the college campus on Saturday morning.
Right-wing activists stage protest
Earlier on Saturday, right-wing activists staged a protest at the college premises demanding the management to suspend the three students. Bajrangdal district president Shivanand Sattigeri alleged that police initially did not take action. “We came to know that the students had made the video and had shared it with their close friends. When we got a copy, we approached the college demanding action against the students. They were arrested only after that,” he said. Some activists tried to manhandle the students while they were being taken to the station but police prevented it, and whisked them away in private cars.