UP: Police arrests student for namaz in open area of university in Meerut
Meerut (PTI): Police have arrested a student for allegedly offering namaz in an open area of a private university here in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, officials said on Sunday.
Khalid Pradhan (Khalid Mewati) was arrested following protests by local Hindu groups over a purported video surfaced around Holi celebrations this week that showed a group of students offering namaz on the university campus.
The university administration suspended Pradhan and three security personnel over the incident and called for police and administrative action against Khalid Pradhan, who allegedly uploaded the video.
Circle Officer Sadar Dehat Shiv Pratap Singh on Sunday told PTI, "A video of offering namaz in the IIMT University campus was circulated on social media." Pradhan was arrested and sent to jail, he said.
On Saturday, SHO of Ganga Nagar police station Anoop Singh said the case was lodged based on a complaint by one Kartik Hindu.
A case has been filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, he said.
Earlier, IIMT University spokesperson Sunil Sharma said an internal investigation found that namaz was offered in an open area and its video was uploaded to "disrupt communal harmony".
Local Hindu groups demanded the arrest of those involved, citing the large number of students in the gathering and the timing of the video's circulation during Holi.
Holi celebrations this year coincided with the second Friday prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. Several controversial remarks by leaders had created a tense atmosphere in some places, with the UP administration tightening security measures, but the day went free of any untoward incident.
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Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Srinagar (PTI): Property worth Rs 1 crore belonging to a notorious drug peddler was on Saturday attached in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar, police said.
A double-storey house on eight marlas of land situated at Wantpora Eidgah, belonging to Basit Bilal Dar, a notorious drug peddler, valued at approximately Rs 1 crore, a police spokesperson said.
He said Dar is involved in two cases registered under various sections of the NDPS Act.
During investigation, it was established that the accused had acquired the said property through illicit proceeds generated from drug trafficking activities, the spokesperson said.
Consequently, the property was attached under the provisions of the NDPS Act. The attachment proceedings were conducted in the presence of the two independent witnesses, strictly in accordance with the prescribed legal procedures, he said.
As per the attachment order, the owner has been restrained from selling, leasing, transferring, altering, or creating any third-party interest in the property till further orders, the spokesperson added.
