World Cup final: UAPA charges dropped against 7 Kashmir varsity students, court grants them bail
Srinagar, Dec 2: Seven students, who were arrested under the UAPA for allegedly raising objectionable slogans and celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss in the World Cup final, were Saturday granted bail by a court after police dropped charges under the stringent anti-terror law.
The students of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district were granted bail by the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Ganderbal, the lawyer representing the students, Shafiq Ahmad Bhat, told PTI.
He said the students were released late on Saturday evening.
The lawyer said the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) charges against the students have been dropped.
"The police submitted its report in the CJM court wherein the UAPA charges were dropped," Bhat said.
The police said the UAPA charges were dropped after a "considerate view was taken" following an undertaking by their parents.
"Under convincing undertaking by the parents of students that no harm will come to anyone else from their children, a considerate view was taken to continue the investigation in IPC offences," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, V K Birdi, told PTI.
The students were arrested after police launched an investigation into a complaint by a non-local student who alleged his college mates had harassed him and raised objectionable slogans after India lost the World Cup's final match to Australia.
The police had booked the students under Section 13 of UAPA, which deals with the inciting or advising of any unlawful activity and is punishable with seven years' jail.
The students were also slapped with IPC sections 505 and 506 which deal with public mischief and criminal intimidation, under which, if convicted, the jail term can go up to five years.
The booking of the students under the UAPA had evoked strong criticism from the political parties who had demanded dropping of the charges.
Meanwhile, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti while welcoming the dropping of the charges, said "finally good sense has prevailed".
"Glad to know that UAPA charges against SKUAST students have been dropped. Finally good sense has prevailed & their future saved from jeopardy," she said in a post on X.
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
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
