Pulwama Attack: Many Held Over Objectionable Posts on Social Media

Many people were booked by cops in different parts of the country for making objectionable comments on social media.

Security personnel carry out rescue and relief work at the site of the suicide bomb attack in Pulwama district of J&K on 14 February. 

(Photo: PTI)

Police have arrested several people across the country over controversial remarks on social media about the Pulwama terror attack, in which at least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, 14 February.

Uttar Pradesh Police Arrest Four

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday, 16 February, arrested four people for allegedly making objectionable comments about the terrorist attack.

Three people – a man from Ballia, another from Mau district and a first-year student of a private college in Lucknow – were arrested for making the remarks on social media. Another person from Siddarthanagar was held for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans at a meeting and then posting it on Facebook.

Police in Ballia registered a case against a man under provisions of the Information Technology (IT) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after his post supporting the attack on Facebook was circulated widely.

"Ravi Prakash Maurya, who claims to be an SP (Samajwadi Party) supporter on Facebook, has allegedly extended support to the act of the person accused of attacking the CRPF jawans in Pulwama. He expressed pride over the incident and also paid tribute," acting Superintendent of Police Vijay Pal Singh told PTI.

“Maurya’s post went viral today, and the police immediately acted by registering a case under IT Act and the IPC against him. He has been arrested,” Singh said In Lucknow, a first-year bachelors of arts student was arrested by police for allegedly making derogatory statements pertaining to the attack.”

Station House Officer (SHO), Hussainganj, Anil Kumar to PTI

Rajab Khan, a student of city private college, was arrested on Saturday from his house in Lucknow for "making derogatory remarks pertaining to the Pulwama incident, and then he also tried to justify them on the social media", Station House Officer (SHO), Hussainganj, Anil Kumar told PTI.

He said a case has been registered against him under the IT Act and the IPC. The principal of the college informed that the student has been expelled.

Suspended Over Controversial Facebook Post in Noida

A Kashmiri student was suspended by his college in Greater Noida for allegedly posting controversial remarks on Facebook about the Pulwama terror attack, officials told PTI on Sunday.

Ishfaq Ahmad Khoja, a final year MBA student of IIMT College of Engineering, has claimed that the remarks, which were posted on Friday, were made through a fake profile bearing his photo, the police said.

Khoja, who is in his hometown Kupwara since a few days due to college holidays, was asked by the college management to file a complaint with the local police and share a copy of the FIR with it, but he has not been able to do so, Chief Proctor Sanjay Pachauri said.

Pachauri said, the student has been directed to appear with supportive evidence before the head of his department within seven working days to depose before an inquiry committee set up by the college.

Kashmiri Youths Arrested for Hailing Jaish

A Kashmiri student studying in a college in Bengaluru was arrested on Saturday for allegedly hailing the Jaish terrorist who carried out the suicide attack, police said, reported PTI.

They said 23-year-old Tahir Latif from Baramula district is a student of Rewa University.

He had allegedly put up a screen-shot of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Adil Ahmed and the bodies of the slain soldiers as his display picture on WhatsApp, police said.

He had also allegedly put up a status message saying, "A big salute to this brave man!!! May Allah accept your Shahadat and give you highest place in Jannah #Shaheed Adil Bhai," they said.

Another Kashmiri youth was booked in Bengaluru on Saturday for allegedly posting derogatory remarks on a social networking site, police said, reported PTI.

Following a complaint by Vishwa Hindu Parishad office bearer Girish Bharadwaj, a case was registered on Friday against Abid Malik under relevant sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, for a post he wrote on Facebook.

The youth allegedly shared some images posted by a news channel after the attack and captioned it ‘The real surgical attack’ on his FB page, police said.

During the investigation, it came to light that he had studied at a college in Bengaluru and worked at an event management firm, but had gone back to his home state.

The case was registered in Bengaluru as he had mentioned in his profile that he resided in the city, police said.

Following the complaint, Facebook deleted his account.

AMU Suspends Student from Kashmir Over Controversial Post

Aligarh Muslim University on Friday suspended an undergraduate student from Kashmir for allegedly lauding a terrorist outfit in a social media post.

AMU spokesperson Omar Peerzada told PTI that the matter is being probed further and “strong deterrent action” will be taken once the investigation is complete.

"AMU has zero tolerance for any such pernicious activity and anyone indulging in such an act will not be spared," Peerzada told PTI.

The student's alleged remarks had triggered outrage on social media.

According to ANI, one person was arrested by police in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur for posting an objectionable message regarding the attack on a WhatsApp group.

Pharmacy Student Booked For Sedition Over WhatsApp Status in Moradabad

Mujassam, a first-year pharmacy student of Moradabad Institute of Technology (MIT) in Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad district was booked for sedition over his WhatsApp status message in which he allegedly praised Pakistan, Times of India reported.

Mujassam was booked under section 124 A (sedition), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC.

Several members of right-wing groups armed with guns and iron rods barged inside the institute demanding custody of the student when word spread.

Assam Teacher Suspended For Facebook Post That Condemns Attack But Also Blames Army for Atrocities on Civilians

Papri Banerjee, an assistant Professor of English department in Guwahati’s Icon Academy Junior College was suspended over a Facebook post that condemned the terrorist attack but also blamed the Indian Army for their atrocities on the civilians of Kashmir.

The post has since been deleted but Banerjee claimed that she has been getting rape, death and lynch threats.

As per News18, a letter issued by the colleges read, “You are put under suspension with immediate effect until the matter is resolved by a competent authority.”

4 Kashmiri Girls in Jaipur’s NIMS University Suspended Over “Anti-National” Messages

Four Kashmiri girls studying at NIMS University in Jaipur were suspended on Saturday for allegedly posting “anti-national” messages on their WhatsApp.

A report on The Print quoted the university circular which reads, “You have posted antinational message on your WhatsApp for celebrating martyrs of Pulwama terror attack. NIMS University will not tolerate and strictly condemns such activities (sic)”.

Bihar Man Lands in Trouble Over Objectionable Post on Pulwama Attack

A man was arrested on Sunday, 17 February in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur for allegedly sharing an objectionable post on social media about the Pulwama terror attack, an official said.

Azizpur resident Mazhar Hashmi was arrested and the case was registered against him under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) related to treason, disturbing peace and communal harmony. He was also booked under provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)