Chhattisgarh: University Professor Held For Forcing Students To Recite Namaz

Raipur: A professor of a Central university in Bilaspur district in Chhattisgarh was on Thursday arrested in connection with the recent incident in which students taking part in a National Service Scheme (NSS) camp were allegedly forced to recite namaz.

Professor Dilip Jha of Guru Ghasidas Central University was taken into custody in connection with the incident, Bilaspur deputy superintendent of police Rashmeet Kaur Chawla said.

He along with six other faculty members of the university and a student have earlier been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act for promoting enmity among groups on the basis of religion, and hurting religious sentiments, police said.

According to the police, a week-long NSS camp was organized by the university in Shivtarai under Kota police station in the district from March 26 to April one in which 159 students had taken part.

The students were allegedly coerced to offer namaz after their yoga class during the camp on March 31, leading to resentment among them.

The issue had snowballed into a major controversy with various Hindu bodies staging protests over the incident.

The students had later lodged a complaint with the police.

Following this, Bilaspur district superintendent of police Rajneesh Singh constituted a four-member team to probe the matter.

An FIR was filed in connection with the incident in Kota police station on April 26 based on the report filed by the probe team, police said.

Besides Professor Jha, Dr Madhulika Singh, Dr Jyoti Verma. Dr Neeraj Kumari, Dr Prashant Vaishnav, Dr Suryabhan Singh and Dr Basant Kumar, all faculty members, and Ayushman Chaudhari, team core leader and student, were booked in connection with the incident, police said.

Professor Jha also faces charges of trying to influence the witnesses and create a law and order situation in the university, the police officer said.