Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The protests which erupted at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir over the alleged blasphemous social media post by a non-local student, on Wednesday spread to other colleges of the valley with authorities suspending class work and examinations over apprehensions of a possible law and order situation.
Protests erupted inside the premises of NIT Srinagar on Tuesday evening against the blasphemous post by the student Prathamesh Shinde. The local Muslim students have alleged that Shinde shared derogatory content against the Prophet of Islam. On Wednesday, a spokesman for the District Police Srinagar said that it has taken cognizance of the incident of uploading of “sensitive content against religious sentiments of a particular community by one student of NIT Srinagar”.
“Upon receipt of communication from NIT authorities, case FIR No.156/23 u/s 295A,153A,153 IPC registered at PS Nigeen on 28.11.23. Common public is appealed to desist from spreading rumours/false information. They shouldn't fall prey to false propaganda of anti-social elements. Legal action shall be taken against those who are found to be involved in provocative act/instigation,” police said.
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Cyber Police Kashmir too issued a statement asking Social Media users to refrain from sharing provocative and inappropriate content from their handles/pages. In another statement, Cyber Police Kashmir said it has taken congnisance of “instigative and provocative contents being shared on various social media handles/pages. Action under law is being initiated,” it said.
The police statements nothwithstanding, simultaneous protests broke out inside the premises of other colleges in Srinagar on Wednesday with students raising slogans against the NIT student for the blasphemous post. After NIT, other colleges in Srinagar on Wednesday staged massive protests against the student uploading insulting and derogatory content on social media.
The protests were reported from Amar Singh College, Islamia and KGP Srinagar. In view of the protests, the administration at Islamia College of Science and Commerce has suspended class work on Thursday November 30 and has also decided to suspend all the examinations to be held today. Notably, all teaching activities at NIT Srinagar were suspended on Wednesday, a day after students protested against the derogatory social media post by the non-local student.
The accused student has been reportedly rusticated for a year by the NIT administration. Various religious, social and political parties have also condemned the blasphemous post in strong words.
