Irate mob tries to attack J&K youth at K’taka court

3 students in custody till Mar. 2

In a day of dramatic developments, the Gokul Road police in Hubballi arrested three Kashmiri students of KLE Institute of Technology, Hubballi, who are facing sedition charges and produced them before the 3rd JMFC court on Monday. The court has remanded them in judicial custody till March 2.

Earlier on Sunday, the three engineering college students who had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans on the anniversary of the Pulwama massacre on February 14, were initially released under section 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). But the police detained them again following protests from activists of Hindu organisations.

On Monday, a tense situation prevailed on the court premises as a mob tried to attack the three students, identified as Ameer, Basit and Talib from Shopian district of Kashmir.

They threw slippers at the police van which was carrying the youths demanding stern action against them.

Lawyers present at the Hubballi court also shouted slogans such as ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ when the police produced the youth before the court. Activists of Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organizations surrounded Hubballi-Dharwad police commissioner R. Dilip demanding the immediate arrest of the trio.

Right-wing activists accused the police of trying to protect the youth despite the fact that a non-bailable case was lodged against them.

Meanwhile, Union minister and HubballiDharwad Lok Sabha MP Pralhad Joshi said in a press release that the police had caused a lot of confusion in the sedition case without clarifying their action on the arrest of the youth. He demanded that the youth should not be spared for raising slogans in favour of Pakistan.

The sedition case lodged against the youth is a serious one.

■ THE 3RD JMFC COURT has remanded the three Kashmiri college students, who allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan statements, in judicial custody till March 2.