SRINAGAR: Three youths were arrested late on Wednesday as police continue to track people who had sent hate mails and invectives to three girls – members of a now disbanded rock music group.
Police had registered a case against all those who had posted abusive comments on the band’s Facebook page, days after the group quit following an edict from the state’s Grand Mufti, Basheeruddin Ahmed.
Irshad Ahmad Chara, resident of Batamaloo in Srinagar, Tariq Khan, a resident of Bijbehara in south Kashmir and Rameez Shah from Ganderbal in the north were arrested late on Wednesday, police sources told the Press Trust of India.
The law – Section 66A of the IT Act and 506 of the Ranbir Penal Code – under which the case has been registered means three years of jail or a fine of Rs 2 lakh.
The sources told PTI that police is looking for more people who have been identified through Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
However, many believe the authorities must make a cautious move and should not go too far with making arrests.
“Given the political situation here there is every possibility that such a move will boomerang,” said a teacher who did not wish to be named.
The band kicked off a controversy soon after it took part in a music competition ‘Battle of Bands’ in Srinagar last December.
Its Facebook page was filled with invectives and vitriolic comments. The girls initially put up a bold face and denied reports that they had quit.
Then came the ‘Fatwa’ or decree from the Grand Mufti and a reproof from a couple of separatists, which was perhaps a reaction to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s tweet in support of the band.
Abdullah’s support, however, failed to infuse confidence among the girls.
“We quit for the happiness of our people. As the grand Mufti said, it is un-Islamic,” one of the girls told news channels.
