The Srinagar Police on Wednesday filed a case against a National Institute of Technology student for an alleged derogatory post on Instagram about Prophet Muhammad.
On Tuesday evening, massive protests had erupted at the institute seeking action against the student, who hails from Maharashtra. Protests also took place on Wednesday at some colleges in Srinagar.
The police have booked the student under Sections 295A (acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 153 (giving provocation with intent to cause riots) of the Indian Penal Code.
A copy of the first information report seen by Scroll stated that the police received a letter from Atikur Rehman, the registrar of the National Institute of Technology, seeking legal action against Prathamesh Shinde, a 7th semester student in the chemical engineering department, for allegedly uploading “blasphemous and islamophobic content” on social media.
His act, the letter said, has “hurt the religious sentiment of a particular community” and has the potential to “disrupt communal harmony and can create a law and order situation within and outside the campus”.
The student has been rusticated from the institute, The Times of India reported.
Rehman said that the video that the student shared on Instagram had been sent to him by someone in the United States, Greater Kashmir reported.
“The situation has been pacified and we assured action into the matter,” he said. “Inquiry is going on and recommendations will be followed.”
The Srinagar Police urged citizens not to spread rumours or “fall prey to false propaganda of anti-social elements”. The police added that legal action would be taken against those found to be involved in provocative acts.
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