Students were physically assaulted.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
In yet another controversy over beef in India, four students of a private university in Rajasthan were arrested after rumors spread that they cooked beef in their hostel room.
The students, Shakib Ashraf, Hilal Farukh, Mohammad Makbool and Shaukat Ali, were arrested on Tuesday on charges of disturbing the public peace. All are from Kashmir.
The incident happened on Monday night in Mewar University in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan.
The students were allegedly manhandled by a group of other students. Some local people had also staged a protest in front of the university demanding action against the students.
Understanding the seriousness of the situation, police reached the university and took the four students into custody. They were charged under section151 of Indian Penal Code.
Quoting Chittorgarh Superintendent of Police Prasanna Kumar, IBN reported that the students resisted questioning and attacked media persons and damaged their equipment.
“They were questioned about their role in bringing the meat to the hostel and cooking it,” said Labhu Ram, station House Officer, Gangrar Police Station.
Meanwhile, the meat sample collected by the police prima facie didn’t appear to be beef.
“We also collected the sample of the meat which prima facie does not appear to be beef. However, the samples have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for testing and the report is awaited,” he added.
The college officials said that cooking meat is against the policy of the institution.
“Cooking meat is against our policy. Police is investigating the case and during the initial probe, it was clear that the substance was not beef,” Harish Gurnani, PRO of the university said.
Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah called Rajasthan chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and requested to intervene in the issue.
A 52-year-old man was lynched in Uttar Pradesh in September last year following rumors that he had stored and consumed beef in his home. It was later proved that the meat was not beef.