Pulwama Attack: Ex-JNU leader Shehla Rashid booked for ’promoting enmity’ on Twitter

Former JNU student leader Shehla Rashid, booked by Dehradun Police for allegedly promoting enmity between communities on Twitter after the Pulwama attack, has questioned the BJP government for not taking action against a local Bajrang Dal leader for “threatening Kashmiri students”.

The case against Shehla Rashid was registered on Sunday night at Uttarakhand capital’s Prem Nagar police station on the basis of a complaint by a local resident, said senior police officials.

Rashid took to Twitter on Monday questioning the case against her, saying “the price you pay for seeking justice under a BJP govt” as she posted a copy of the first information report or FIR against her.

“So, Uttarakhand cops have filed an FIR against me, but they have yet to take any actionagainst Vikas Verma Bajrang Dal convenor who is speaking to national newspapers, owning up to the mob attacks, ordering Kashmiris to leave Dehradun. Can’t say who runs Uttarakhand anymore,’ she tweeted.

Despite several attempts, Verma could not be contacted.

The police action came after Rashid, the former vice-president of Jahawarlal Nehru University’s students’ union, tweeted on Saturday that dozens of Kashmiri women students were trapped inside a hostel in Dehradun.

“15-20 Kashmiri girls trapped in a hostel in Dehradun for hours now, as an angry mob outside demands that they be expelled from the hostels. This is in Dolphin institute. Police is present but unable to disperse the mob,” she had said.

The claim was refuted by Uttarakhand police on its official Twitter handle on Sunday.

“There are rumours that few Kashmiri girls trapped in a hostel in Dehradun for hours due to an angry mob. This is not true, police sorted out the issue. There are no crowds. Initially there was some confusion regarding slogans by Kashmiri girls in favour of Pakistan which was resolved (sic),” the police tweet said.

Narendra Gehlawat, station house officer of Prem Nagar police station, said Rashid has been booked under sections 505, 153 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code for issuing statement causing “mischief, promoting enmity between different communities, and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace”.

Dehradun’s senior superintendent of police Nivedita Kukreti confirmed the case against Rashid.

“It was registered after a local resident, named Devraj, lodged a complaint stating that she is spreading rumours about attacks on Kashmiri students and trying to disturb communal harmony. After the complaint, a case was registered and investigations followed,” Kukreti said on Monday.

Following the reports about attacks on Kashmiri students in Dehradun, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Sunday warned of “strict action against anyone trying to incite violence.” He had also refuted the reports.

Two colleges in Dehradun have decided not to admit any Kashmiri students from the upcoming academic session, with students saying they were in a state of fear after the Pulwama terror attack.

In the Uttarakhand capital, some Kashmiri youths had also alleged that they were harassed and asked by their landlords to vacate accommodations fearing attacks on their properties in the aftermath of the Pulwama incident.

On Friday, a student in Dehradun was also booked for allegedly sending WhatsApp messages supporting the Pulwama suicide attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Monday asked students outside the state to not pay heed to any rumours and try to stay put at their respective places.