The Bengaluru Police have registered a case against a student of the Ambedkar Institute of Technology in the city after he was filmed wearing a t-shirt of ‘Azad Kashmir’ map and flag.
A clip that showed Inayat Ameen, who is studying Computer Science, appeared on social media and the police took suo motu cognizance of it, and tracked him down via the registration number of a two-wheeler that featured in the video, which went viral.
The video was shared on Instagram on September 22, showing Ameen wearing a red t-shirt which had the ‘Azad Kashmir’ map and flag printed on it, while sitting on the two-wheeler.
In the shirt, Ameen’s appeared to have the Pakistani flag printed on it too. Summoned for questioning, Ameen was under the impression due to the punishment of less than seven years, that he had something to answer for, and has gone to record his statement in response to the summons.
Sources said the case will move forward according to protocol. It is expected the police will present a chargesheet once the inquiry has been completed.
At the same time, a case was registered at the Jnanabharathi Police Station in the city under Section 196 of the Indian Penal Code, which relates to acts that could cause enmity or disrupt communal harmony by virtue of religion, language or place of residence.
The complaint was lodged by Sub-Inspector Mohan Kumar, who stated that the actions of the student were of a type that could disrupt public peace and harmony.
The complaint stated that Ameen, “by shouting slogans and riding in public while wearing a t-shirt with a provocative image that is recognizable as ‘Azad Kashmir’, has breached peace.
In March, a student at Jadavpur University in Kolkata was arrested on a similar charge. Soumyadeep Mahato, a first year philosophy student, was arrested in relation to ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘Azad Kashmir’ graffiti on campus earlier this month.
