India:  Blasphemy case filed against a Muslim student of Muslim-run school for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad

FIR on atheist and anti-Islam Muslim student of school run by the varsity. (Source: The Statesman)

An 18-year-old Muslim student in class 12 from Bijnor was assaulted by other Muslim residents of a hostel on the campus of Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh after he was accused of uttering offensive remarks about the Prophet Muhammad as well as sharing the same on social media. The incident transpired on 12th December in Aligarh’s Civil Lines Police Station area.

A First Information Report was registered against him and cops have initiated a probe into the matter. Furthermore, he was suspended from the Senior Secondary School for Boys which is run by the university. According to the complainant who is of Kasgand and is a pupil in the varsity, the boy has a history of passing similar statements against Islam and is anti-Muslim. The complainant told OpIndia in an interview that the accused student has a habit of making comments against the Prophet.

The complaint stated that the former along with some of his acquaintances was present in the Allama Iqbal Hostel of AMU when the offender arrived there and began speaking disparaging and inappropriate things about Islam and its prophet. It is reported that he began using derogatory words after the complainant stopped him and announced, “Do whatever you can, I will continue to say all this.” The complainant claimed that the remarks had offended his religious sentiments.

Strict action has been demanded against the culprit after a case has been launched under sections 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) based on the complaint. OpIndia has a copy of the FIR.

The complainant and his colleagues beat up the accused in the name of blasphemy, per several media accounts. However, the former countered that these charges were unfounded while talking to OpIndia. He alleged to have all of the hostel’s CCTV footage as evidence. He responded with a “No” when inquired whether there was any proof of insult to Prophet Muhammed by the student. 

Notably, AMU Deputy Proctor S Ali Nawaz Zaidi revealed that the pupil was attacked by the claimant and his aides. “The student was suspended with immediate effect and an inquiry has been ordered into his objectionable posts. Till the completion of the probe, he will remain suspended. Hostel inmates thrashed the student after locking him in a room last evening and forced him to delete the post. The student ran out of the hostel and was saved by security personnel,” he mentioned.

https://www.opindia.com/2023/12/up-muslim-pupil-beaten-suspended-for-offensive-remarks-against-prophet/