Hijab-Clad College Students Booked For ‘Unlawful’ Assembly

Bengaluru: Karnataka police on Friday booked a group of students for wearing hijab and taking part in an “unlawful assembly” as well as showing “disobedience” towards public servants.

The Muslim students were from Empress Government Pre-University College, in Tumakuru, 69 km from Bengaluru.
College principal Shanmukha S filed a complaint with Tumakuru police, following which a case was registered, according to The Indian Express.

The principal stated that 10-15 Muslim students gathered ‘illegally’ and ‘disrupted’ routine activities of the college.

A case under has been registered under IPC sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 145 (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly, knowing it has been commanded to disperse), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object).

Police had earlier imposed section 144 within 200 metres of school and college campuses as a preventive measure.

The hijab controversy has been spreading in Karnataka after a state government order said students can’t wear any political attire in schools and colleges.

Even as the high court is hearing several petitions against the state government ban, hijab-clad students have not been allowed to attend classes.