K'taka court rejects bail of Kashmiri students charged with sedition

The court rejected the bail application of three students from Kashmir studying at a private engineering college in Hubballi district of Karnataka, who were arrested on sedition charges for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans and posting a video of it on a messaging platform.

Hubbali: A Hubbali court on Monday rejected the bail application of three Kashmiri engineering college students here, who were booked for sedition after a video allegedly showing them raising pro-Pakistan slogans went viral online.

The trio, students of KLE Institute of Technology, were arrested on February 15 for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans and posting it on social media on the first anniversary of the Pulwama terrorist attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

Right wing activists, including those from Bajarang Dal who had gathered near the college, had demanded stringent action against the three.

Read:Sedition Case: Kashmiri students shifted to Hindalga central jail

The video seems to have been recorded at the college hostel, where the students were put up. According to officials, the video of the three has gone viral as they posted it on Whatsapp

In the video one of them can be purportedly seen initially uttering something with background music on, after which they chant Azadi one after the other. Then joining chorus to the music that is playing, they purportedly say 'Pakistan Zindabad'.

Read:Sedition law being misused, want speedy trial: Kanhaiya Kumar on prosecution order

College principal Basavaraj Anami said the college has given complaint to the police and the students will be suspended. The students were admitted under central quota and two are doing their first year civil engineering, while the other is a third year student in the same stream, he said.

Union minister Pralhad Joshi, who hails from the district, described the act unfortunate and demanded strict action against those involved.

(With inputs from PTI)