Officials claimed on Monday that seven students from an agricultural institution were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly chanting objectionable chants and celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss in the World Cup final, news agency PTI reported. According to authorities, the detained teenagers are students at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir.
The students were detained after police opened an inquiry following a complaint filed by a non-local student alleging that his collegemates insulted him and shouted offensive chants after India lost the final match and the cup to Australia.
According to authorities, the students have been charged under different provisions of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code.
The police action was followed by a written complaint submitted by Punjabi student at the SKUAST-K. “After the match ended, they [Kashmiri students] started abusing me and targeting me for being a supporter of our country and also threatened me to shut up otherwise I would be shooted [sic],” the complaint of the student from Punjab was quoted by The Hindu in its report.
He said that Kashmiri students chanted "Jeeve Jeeve Pakistan" (Long Live Pakistan), instilling dread in students from outside the Union Territory of J&K, The Hindu reported.
The students were charged with public mischief and criminal intimidation under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Sections 505 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, according to the Firstpost.
Aside from the faculty, the students allegedly intimidated other students from outside Jammu and Kashmir.
“A student from Punjab has complained 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 on November 19,” a senior police official was quoted by Firstpost in its report. The officer went on to say that a FIR was filed based on a written complaint filed by Sachin Bains, a citizen of Punjab and a student at the university, against seven final-year students at SKUAST - K (Shuhama campus).
Umer, Asif, Mohsin, Tauqeer, Khalid, Sameer, and Ubaid are the Kashmiri pupils listed by the plaintiff, The Firstpost reported.
“Further investigation in the case is currently underway,” the senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, the J&K Students Association has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha to withdraw the UAPA charges. “It is an unacceptably harsh punishment that could ruin their future. The UAPA charges will have serious consequences on the academic and future career of the students and should be immediately withdrawn. It may have serious repercussions both in the long term and short term,” Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of the Association, was quoted by The Hindu in its report.
Although India was the most dominant team in the World Cup, the Australian squad played a superior brand of cricket in the final. They first limited India to 240 runs before chasing the goal down with 7 overs to spare. Australia ruined India's lavish party preparations with Travis Head's 137.