Uttar Pradesh Police have nabbed a Muslim student for offering Namaz in an open area of an university in Meerut.
The Muslim student was subjected to a hate campaign by Hindutva groups and university action.
Khalid Mewati, the student, was nabbed after protests by Hindu groups over a purported video emerged around Holi celebrations last week, which showed a group of students offering Namaz on the university campus.
Later, the university administration suspended Khalid Mewati and three security men and called for police and administrative action against the Muslim student.
Khalid was sent to jail.
On Saturday, SHO of Ganga Nagar police station Anoop Singh said the case was filed based on a complaint by one Kartik Hindu.
A case has been filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, he said.
Before the police action, IIMT University spokesperson Sunil Sharma said an internal investigation found that namaz was offered in an open area and its video was uploaded to “disrupt communal harmony.”
Holi celebrations this year coincided with the second Friday prayers of Ramadan. Several hate-filled speeches by Hindutva leaders had created a tense atmosphere in several places in the state. A 48-year-old Muslim man was allegedly assaulted and killed by a Hindu mob while on his way to a mosque in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao on Saturday after he resisted having colours thrown on him during Holi.
