February 17
A Kashmiri student pursuing BTech in a Himachal Pradesh university has been arrested for his whahtsapp status.
The student identified as Tahseen Gul aged 21, has been taken dteained for allegedly “glorifying” Aadil Ahmed Dar, who was behind the Pulwama attack, in which at least 44 CRPF personnel were killed.
Tahseen Gul, 21, a second year student of Chitkara University in Baddi, had allegedly put up a picture of Dar as his Whatsapp profile photo and the words — “Allah Talah aap ki shahadat kabool kare (May Allah accept your martydom)” — as his status.
He was booked under IPC section 153B (imputing, making assertions prejudicial to national integration). The FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by retd. Col. AK Chauhan, dean of Chitkara University, The Indian Express reported.
On Friday night, hundreds of the university’s students gathered outside Gul’s hostel, demanding his arrest and of other Kashmiri students.
The mounting tension on campus spurred the authorities to seek police protection. Several personnel were deployed on campus early Saturday and six Kashmiri students were shifted to a guesthouse, the report said.
On Saturday morning, police detained six Kashmiri students including Gul and questioned them at length. While Gul was booked and subsequently arrested, the remaining five students were released.
Baddi Superintendent of Police (SP) Rohit Malpani said, “Gul has been taken into custody and is being questioned. As a precautionary measure, we also questioned five other students of the university who are natives of Kashmir. All five were found innocent and released.”
Police have confiscated Gul’s mobile phone and a laptop which are being scrutinised by cyber experts.