Adopting a lenient approach to save their future, the Jammu and Kashmir Police dropped charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against seven students of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Ganderbal Kashmir who were arrested alleged for shouting pro-Pakistan slogans during cricket world cup.
After dropping the UAPA charges, a local court also granted bail to all the arrested students.
The students were arrested after their collegemate lodged a complaint that he was threatened by the seven students who were shouting pro-Pakistan slogans during the cricket World Cup final.
Reports said that as the bail petition came up for hearing on Saturday at the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Ganderbal, the police informed the court that charges under UAPA against the seven had been dropped.
Glad to know that UAPA charges against SKUAST students have been dropped. Finally good sense has prevailed & their future saved from jeopardy.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) December 2, 2023
"Glad to know that UAPA charges against SKUAST students have been dropped. Finally, good sense has prevailed, and their future saved from jeopardy", former Chief Minister and president of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti posted on social media.
Earlier Mehbooba Mufti criticized the authorities for invoking UAPA on seven students.
Students were booked under UAPA after the cricket World Cup final
Seven students of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) Kashmir were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans and celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss in the World Cup final.
As reported earlier, their collegemate, who is pursuing a BVSc course, complained that after the cricket World Cup final, these students allegedly raised pro-Pakistan slogans that created fear among other students.
According to the complaint, the accused started abusing him and threatened to kill him for supporting the Indian team.
The students were booked under Section 13 of the UAPA and Sections 505 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code at the Ganderbal police station.
Kashmir politicians were snubbed over politicizing students' arrest issue.
After some politicians tried to politicize the issue of the arrest of seven students under UAPA to exploit the sentiments of people, student groups warned them against reaping the political benefits of this issue.
"J&K politicians should refrain from politicizing the issue of the seven Kashmiri students booked under UAPA and shouldn't attempt to settle scores. These students are neither activists nor pursue any agenda or advocate a particular ideology", the J&K Students Association posted on social media while giving a strict warning to politicians.
"They are young students from poor families and UAPA charges should be withdrawn as this punishment could ruin their futures and they should be given a chance to be involved and bring them into the mainstream arena", the student organization said.
"Linking the UAPA issue of these students with a supposed prevailing thought in Kashmir is entirely inappropriate. J&K politicians including former Chief Ministers, former ministers, and former MLAs should refrain from making such connections and should compassionately appeal to drop the UAPA charges", the student group said.
Families also sought leniency.
Families of arrested students also appealed to the police and Jammu and Kashmir administration for leniency as their career was at stake.
The families of the seven students also met senior police officers and sought leniency for them.
They called the incident as unfortunate, uncalled for, and unwarranted and assured that in the future these students would not indulge in any such incident.
