Police drop UAPA charges against 7 students

Srinagar, Dec 2: In a significant development and a compassionate gesture from Jammu and Kashmir Police, charges against seven students under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for raising anti-India slogans and celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss in the World Cup 2023 final have been dropped.

The charges have been withdrawn by the Police after a convincing undertaking by the parents.

However, the Police said, that if any of these students was found involved in conversation with handlers in Pakistan or their agents in J&K, the case could be reopened.

“Based on a convincing undertaking by parents that no harm is going to come from their children against any student or person, a considerate view has been taken to no longer investigate the children under the UAPA,” Director General of Police, Rashmi Ranjan Swain told Greater Kashmir Saturday evening.
Police said that all seven students had already been released on bail.

“However, investigations under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) will continue,” the J&K Police Chief said. “Only in the event of conversations or connections with handlers across the border or with their agents in
J&K, the investigation can be reopened.”

Seven students of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) in Ganderbal district were arrested and booked under the UAPA for cheering over India’s defeat by Australia in the recently concluded Cricket World Cup held on November 19.

The students were charged with public mischief and criminal intimidation under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and Sections 505 and 506 of the IPC.

Police had said that the case was registered under FIR No 317/2023 after a student from outside Kashmir complained before the Police about the seven final-year students of SKUAST-K (Shuhama campus) that he was
threatened with dire consequences after Australia defeated India in the men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final.

Police had later said that the case was not about planning, aiding, and executing terror acts and that the seven students had been booked for cheering for Australia in Ganderbal in the recently concluded
Cricket World Cup in a softer provision of UA(P)A.

Police had issued a detailed rebuttal saying that several opinions and comments had been made in this respect.

Police had said: “The case is not merely about raising pro-Pakistan slogans but in full context in which the sloganeering took place.”

Admitting that their wards had committed a mistake, the parents of seven detained students in Ganderbal met senior Police officers and expressed hope that the Police would take a lenient view of the issue and
safeguard the future of these students.

“We tendered an unconditional apology on behalf of our children before the Police,” the parents had said after meeting Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Ganderbal, Nikhil Borkar. “We are hopeful that the
future of our wards will be safe as the Police assured that they will take a lenient view.”

Saying that they were responsible citizens of the country, the parents had said that their wards had entered the campus after qualifying the prestigious NEET examination.

“We requested the Police to give them a chance,” they had said. “They are hopeful that they will be given chances so that their future is safeguarded.”

The parents had admitted that their wards had committed a mistake. They had said that they would advise them to live in the hostel and set an example of brotherhood.