J&K police charges seven Kashmiri students under UAPA for raising pro-Pak slogans during World Cup final

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], November 28 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Police have filed a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against seven Kashmiri students for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans during the Cricket World Cup final held on November 19 in Gujarat.

The police in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district filed a case under Section 13 (unlawful activity punishable with imprisonment) of the UAPA, and Sections 505 (inciting to commit any offence against any other class or community) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

“Ganderbal Police invoking UAPA charges against 7 students of Kashmir University for allegedly raising anti-India slogans after ICC World Cup final match. As per the content of the complaints, FIR No. 317/2023 stands registered and section 13 UAPA invoked for inciting and abetting unlawful activities. Section 505 and 506 IPC too has been invoked for ‘public mischief’ and ‘criminal intimidation’ respectively,” Ganderbal Police stated in a letter on Tuesday.

All seven students study at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), in Ganderbal’s Shuhama.

“A number of opinions and comments have been made on the legal cognisance taken of the happenings surrounding anti-India sloganeering and intimidation of others who did not agree with them in a university after the conclusion of the World Cup cricket match. Two relevant aspects are brought to public knowledge,” police said.

“First: it is not merely about raising pro-Pakistan slogans. It is about the full context in which the sloganeering took place. These slogans, as has usually been the case with a select few bullies, were aired to intimidate those who disagreed and also to identify and vilify those who choose to keep a distance. It is also about normalising an abnormal: that everyone hates India (as different from the government of the day and party in power) ‘openly’. This abnormal and false thing is practised mostly on the back of separatist and terrorist networks. In other words, the aim is not airing personal preference of a particular sporting team. It is not about dissent or freedom of expression. It is about terrorising others who may be nourishing pro-India feelings or anti-Pakistan feelings or disagreeing. There were written complaints to evidence this,” Ganderbal Police said.

The letter further stated, “The second: the application of the right law. Section 13 of UAPA is about inciting, advocating and encouraging separatist ideology. It is not about planning, aiding and executing actual terror acts. It classifies such actions as unlawful. In contrast to other provisions of act it is a softer provision of act.”

The police further said that the FIR is lodged on the basis complaint received and relevant sections are invoked as per the contents of the complaint.

Australia defeated India by six wickets in the ICC World Cup final in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on November 19.