In Ganderbal, Kashmir, a dispute unfolded between seven students from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology and peers from outside Jammu Kashmir after India’s defeat to Australia in the men’s Cricket World Cup final on November 19, as per The Scroll.
The students, as revealed in the first information report, are facing charges under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Sections 505 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, pertaining to public mischief and criminal intimidation.
Ganderbal Superintendent of Police Nikhil Borkar confirmed the arrests, mentioning, “We have invoked some sections, but whenever there is an investigation in a case, some sections are added or deleted depending upon the findings of the investigation. The investigation is on, and whatever will be there, we will let you know at that time.”
A complaint by a student from outside Jammu and Kashmir led to the registration of the case a day after the World Cup final.
The copy of the complaint, of which a copy is available with The Kashmiriyat, directed to the Station House Officer Police Station Shuhaama Ganderbal sought the registration of an FIR against the students accused of celebrating India’s loss.
The complaint by one Sachin Bains son of Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Punjab read, “I am studying in faculty of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry Shuhama Ganderbal under BVSC, A.H course. There was world Cup Final match, India V/S Australia, on 19.11.2023 and I being a cricket fan was watching the match and supporting my country.”
In his complaint he said that the student Umer, Asif, Mohsin, Taquer, Khalid, Sameer, Ubaid Gulzar who are Kashmiri students studying in different courses. After finishing the match they started abusing me and targeting me for being a supporter of our country and also threatened me to shut up otherwise I would be shooted, Sachin alleged in his complaint.
He alleged that that the above mentioned materialists students not only stopped me there, but shut your raising slogans (Jeeve Jeeve Pakistan) which created fear amongst the students from outside Jammu Kashmir because of their threats such as behaviour patronizing the enemy country or fear stuck me.
“I was not coming out of my room that takes hours and now taking a courageous step the protection from such holy guns mentioned above and praying for lodging of FIR,” he claimed.
The seven local Kashmiri students from the university’s veterinary sciences and animal husbandry department raised pro-Pakistan slogans after the match, causing apprehension among non local students.
Although there was no physical altercation, a video capturing the alleged sloganeering inside the hostel was submitted to the police.
An anonymous university official, quoted by Scroll, expressed regret over the incident, noting, “It’s an unfortunate incident. These students are on the verge of the completion of their degrees.”
The accused students, mainly fourth-year undergraduates in veterinary sciences and animal husbandry, are presently in police custody.