3 Kashmiri students arrested in Hubballi

Hubballi: In a day of dramatic developments, the Gokul Road police in Hubballi arrested three Kashmiri students of KLE Institute of Technology, Hubballi, who are facing sedition charges and produced them before the 3rd JMFC court on Monday. The court has remanded them to judicial custody till March 2.

Earlier on Sunday, the three engineering college students who had shouted pro-Pakistan slogans on the anniversary of the Pulwama massacre on February 14, were initially released under  section 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). But the police detained them again following protests from activists of Hindu organisations.

On Monday, a tense situation prevailed at the court premises as a mob tried to attack the three students identified as Ameer, Basit and Talib from Shopian district of Kashmir. They threw slippers at the police van which was carrying the youth demanding stern action against them.

Lawyers present at the Hubballi court too shouted slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai  when the police produced  the youth before the court. Activists of Bajrang Dal and other Hindu organisations surrounded Hubballi-Dharwad police commissioner R. Dilip demanding immediate arrest of the trio. Right-wing activists  accused the police of trying to protect the youth despite the fact that a non-bailable case was lodged against them.