New Delhi: A 21-year-old Kashmiri student was arrested on Sunday form a Himachal Pradesh university for allegedly celebrating suicide bomber Aadil Ahmed Dar, who killed at least 40 CRPF jawans by ramming an SUV car with 350 kg of explosives into a security convoy at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

Tahseen Gul, a second year BTech student of Chitkara University in Baddi, had, according to reports, put up a picture of Dar as his Whatsapp profile photo. He also changed his status to:  “Allah Talah aap ki shahadat kabool kare (May Allah accept your martyrdom)”.

Also read: India rubbishes Pakistani claim of no role in Pulwama terror attack

Following an FIR lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by retd. Col. AK Chauhan, dean of Chitkara University, Gul was booked under IPC section 153B (imputing, making assertions prejudicial to national integration).

On February 15, students of the university gathered outside Gul’s hostel and started raising slogans for his and other Kashmiri students’ arrest. Subsequently, Gul was arrested along with five other students. 

However, following questioning, the five students were released. 

“Gul has been taken into custody and is being questioned. As a precautionary measure, we also questioned five other students of the university who are natives of Kashmir. All five were found innocent and released,” said Baddi Superintendent of Police (SP) Rohit Malpani. 

According to The Indian Express, Gul said that he updated his WhatsApp status and profile picture. But once he realised his mistake, he deleted his WhatsApp status. “Next day, a few fellow students raised strong objections to my WhatsApp status message and picture and told me to remove it. Sensing a threat to my life, I informed the university authorities. I also submitted a written apology to the university. Later on, I came to know that the university had lodged a police complaint against me. I regret my mistake,” the student added. 

Also read: Message to Pakistan: Indian polity stands united against terror

The Pulwama terror attack drew criticism from various quarters. While several candle marches were taken out to pay tribute to the martyrs, several countries from across the world including US, France, Germany and Russia, come out in support of India. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also sent a strong message to Pakistan. 
“I want to tell the terror outfits and those aiding and abetting them that they have made a big mistake. They will have to pay a very heavy price for their actions. Let me assure the nation that those behind this attack, the perpetrators of this attack will be punished,” he said.