J&K: Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti slams arrest of Kashmiri students under UAPA

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Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday termed as "shocking" and "disconcerting" the arrest of seven university students for allegedly raising "objectionable slogans" and "celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss" in the World Cup final.

The PDP president also requested the union territory's Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the issue. "Disconcerting & shocking that cheering for a winning team too has been criminalised in Kashmir. Normalising slapping of draconian laws like UAPA on journalists, activists & now students reveals the ruthless mindset of the establishment towards youngsters in J&K. Hearts & minds of people through barrel of a gun (sic)," Mehbooba said in a post on X.

Seven Kashmiri students enrolled at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal, have been arrested after a face-off with students from outside the Union territory over India's loss to Australia in the men's Cricket World Cup final on November 19.

In the complaint, news web portal Scroll reported the student has named seven local Kashmiri students enrolled at the university's veterinary sciences and animal husbandry department who allegedly "abused" and "threatened" him for supporting India. They "also threatened me to shut up otherwise I would be shooted [sic]," the complaint reads.

The complaint, according to the Scroll report, also alleged that the accused students shouted slogans in support of Pakistan after the match "which created fear amongst the students from outside Union territory of J&K."

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The report said that the students have been booked under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Sections 505 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code related to public mischief and criminal intimidation.

In 2021, too, the Jammu and Kashmir Police booked students and staff of medical colleges who celebrated the Pakistani cricket team's victory over India in the T20 World Cup match, under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. In 2016, students at Srinagar's National Institute of Technology clashed after India lost to the West Indies in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup. In a similar fashion, the non-local students had then accused local Kashmiri students of celebrating India's loss, leading to violent clashes. (With inputs from PTI)