Three Indian students have allegedly been arrested in the state of Uttar Pradesh, for supporting Pakistan against India in a match during the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.
The three students – all Muslims – had, according to the police, shouted ‘anti-Indian and pro-Pakistan’ slogans during the match, played on Sunday. They had also changed their WhatsApp profile statuses to support Pakistani cricketers, which led to them being suspended by the college they attend.
Pakistan won the match by ten wickets, the first time Pakistan has ever beaten India in any World Cup fixture.
The three were arrested after complaints by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Hindu-nationalist governing party of India. According to the BBC they were charged with ‘promoting enmity and cyber terrorism’.
Relations between Pakistan and India have been tense for much of both countries’ histories. This has worsened in recent times with the BJP’s frosty attitude towards Muslims. Some of its more radical members believe that only Hindus can truly be Indian.