2 Indian Student to be release soon

RIYADH

Two Indian students will be released within the next few days following a judgment given by a Jeddah court, which heard the cases of 31 Pakistani and Indian students detained by the police in mid-August on the alleged charges of “manhandling and stone pelting” on policemen. The other 18 Pakistani students, who are still languishing in police custody, are also seeking immediate relief from the court, diplomatic and community sources, said here yesterday.

“Many students are yet to be released since their arrests on Aug. I4 and Aug. 15 last month,” said the sources, while contradicting the news of the release of all students on the occasion of Ramadan yesterday.

The police picked up the Pakistani and Indian students after they allegedly tried to assault police alter the police tried to stop their Independence Day celebrations that reportedly was causing traffic problems and general unruliness.

Asked about the fate of the detained students, Chaudhury Shaukat Ali, consul welfare at the Jeddah-based Pakistani Consulate, said, “The students have been charged with man-handling the policemen as police intervened to stop the students from creating ugly scenes on the roads. The students have also been charged with stone-pelting following which police had to arrest them.” Only eight Pakistani students have been released so far, while others are still in prison, said Shaukat Ali. “Two Indian students will be released within a few days, said Naseem Akhtar, an Indian lecturer teaching at King Abdul Aziz University. Akhtar said that only four Indian students were detained for bad behaviour and probably for hoisting or having tricolour flags in their possession on the occasion of India’s Independence Day on Aug. 15.

“Some parents have also approached and urged the Saudi authorities to release the students, said the sources. According to community sources, the families and friends of the students are worried about the prolonged detention They said that many students are facing additional charge of resisting arrest and some face charges of vandalism.