Kozhikod HoU Protesters Charged With Section 153
By Countercurrents.org
28 March, 2016
Countercurrents.org
The police action against students protesting in Kozhikod, Kerala against the police crack down in University of Hyderabad (HoU) raises grave questions about the functioning of democracy in India. On 26th March Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) Kozhikod District Committee took out a march to Head Post Office. Protesting activists, including the girls, were brutally beaten up by the Police without any provocation and then arrested.
Around 40 activists, who were injured were admitted to Beach Government Hospital. Parents of Munsif Kakkodi and Ramees Velom, the students of HoU who have been arrested in Hyderabad, took part in the march. Later leaders of the SIO Kerala state committee who went to inquire about the issue were arrested too. SIO Kerala General Secretary Shamseer Ibrahim, State Secretaries Amjad Ali E M and Shabeer Koduvally, State Committee members Mujeeb Rahman S, Salih Kottappally , Naeem Kodiyathur are among the arrested.
Now an FIR has been registered under Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code. Which reads,
"Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot—if rioting be committed—if not committed.—Whoever malignantly, or wantonly, by doing anything which is illegal, gives provocation to any person intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause the offence of rioting to be committed, shall, if the offence of rioting be committed in consequence of such provocation, be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both; and if the offence of rioting be not committed, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both."
It is codemnable that a mere protest showing solidarity to the students of HoU has been termed as 'rioting' or intent to cause riot. It's a mockery of the criminal justice system of India.
