MEERUT/SRINAGAR - Around 60 Kashmiri college students studying in Meerut were on March 6 charged with sedition by Uttar Pradesh police for cheering Pakistan’s victory against India during a recent cricket match, an action that sparked an outrage in Kashmir Valley. The minimum punishment for a sedition offence is three years and the maximum is life sentence.
Separately, Meerut district authorities ordered a magisterial inquiry into the conduct of the students studying at Swami Vivekananda Subharti University. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slammed the slapping of sedition charge as uncalled for and an “unacceptably harsh punishment” and said it will ruin the future of the students and further alienate them. He asked the UP government to reverse the decision. Omar, who took up the matter with his UP counterpart Akhilesh Yadav, however, said that what the students did was wrong and misguided.
“Have just spoken to CM UP who has assured me he will personally look into the matter of the Kashmiri students in Meerut,” said Omar on Twitter. After preliminary investigations, the authorities had expelled 60 Kashmiri students for three days and asked them to vacate the hostel after they cheered for Pakistan in the Asia Cup match and celebrated its victory against India on Sunday.
SSP(Meerut) Omkar Singh said that on the basis of the complaint submitted by University Chancellor PK Garg, unnamed Kashmiri students have been booked. District Magistrate Pankaj Yadav ordered a magisterial inquiry and Additional City Magistrate Rambharta Tewari has been given the charge of the case, Additional District Magistrate, Meerut, Satish Kumar Dubey said.
University authorities had set up a disciplinary committee to probe the incident. Around 200 Kashmiri students are enrolled in B.Tech and law courses in the university. Sedition charge is a non-bailable offence which means the accused cannot be granted bail by the arresting authority. The accused has to approach a court to seek a regular bail.(PTI)
“Have just spoken to CM UP who has assured me he will personally look into the matter of the Kashmiri students in Meerut,” said Omar on Twitter. After preliminary investigations, the authorities had expelled 60 Kashmiri students for three days and asked them to vacate the hostel after they cheered for Pakistan in the Asia Cup match and celebrated its victory against India on Sunday.
SSP(Meerut) Omkar Singh said that on the basis of the complaint submitted by University Chancellor PK Garg, unnamed Kashmiri students have been booked. District Magistrate Pankaj Yadav ordered a magisterial inquiry and Additional City Magistrate Rambharta Tewari has been given the charge of the case, Additional District Magistrate, Meerut, Satish Kumar Dubey said.
University authorities had set up a disciplinary committee to probe the incident. Around 200 Kashmiri students are enrolled in B.Tech and law courses in the university. Sedition charge is a non-bailable offence which means the accused cannot be granted bail by the arresting authority. The accused has to approach a court to seek a regular bail.(PTI)
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