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Indian police arrest former university lecturer on sedition charges

Xinhua, February 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Indian police early Tuesday arrested former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani on sedition charges for organizing an event to mark the death anniversary of 2001 parliament attack convict Mohammed Afzal Guru, officials said.

"Geelani was called to the Parliament Street police station last night where he was detained and questioned for several hours, and later arrested," a police official said, adding "He has been booked for sedition, criminal conspiracy and unlawful assembly."

The former lecturer's arrest came four days after the arrest of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar from prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in the capital city of New Delhi. Kumar has also been charged with sedition and criminal conspiracy.

Earlier, a group of students held an event on the campus of JNU in memory of Guru. During the event, some students criticized the government for hanging Guru and shouted anti-India slogans which angered Indian politicians from ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who ordered strict action.

Kumar's arrest has triggered a wave of protests on the university campus and evoked sharp condemnation of the government. The faculty members at the university, opposition parties and sections of media criticise the government for its exaggerated reaction to campus affairs.

In past several years, the government increasingly used sedition charges on the people in several cases.

In 2001, Geelani was arrested by police in connection with the Indian parliament attack. However, he was acquitted for lack of evidence by the Delhi High Court in 2003 and subsequently the decision was upheld by the India's Supreme Court.

On Monday, the police custody of Kumar has been extended by two days.

Violence broke out at a local court in capital city where a group of men in lawyer's robes assaulted and dragged university students and journalists out of the court.

While the students had gathered in support of Kumar on the hearing of case, the journalists were there to cover the news. Endit