At least 30 college students in India’s Kerala state were on Thursday booked by the Indian police for “allegedly waving a flag resembling that of Pakistan inside their campus”, reported ANI.
The incident occurred in Silver College, Perambra in Kozhikode district of Kerala.
As part of union election campaigning, students belonging to the Muslim Student Front (MSF) were carrying out a procession which included waving a “large green and white flag similar to that of Pakistan”.
Students claimed that they had waved the MSF flag but its large size had caused confusion, reported the Indian news agency.
The students have been booked under Sections 143 (whoever is a member of an unlawful assembly, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months or fine), 147 (punishment for rioting), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly can be guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police are investigating the identity of the students and “will take necessary action”, the ANI report said.