Pune

A 20-year-old engineering student in the city has been arrested for posting an offensive comment against a community on a social networking site.

Amitsinh Kate, the first year engineering student, was arrested yesterday for posting a comment that stated he would avenge the Godhra incident, the Bund Garden Police said.

The student told the police that he posted the comment on May 2 after he saw the clips of the Godhra riots on the Internet.

Kate has been booked under sections 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class) and 153(A) (promoting enmity) of the IPC and section 66(F) of IT Act.

He was remanded in police custody for four days.

The city cyber crime cell initiated action against Kate after the authorities received complaints from community members, police said.

Meanwhile, police inspector (crime) Satish Nikam of Bund Garden station, which has registered the case against the student, told PTI that they were investigating as to what Kate had said about the Godhra incident clips to “some people” that prompted him to put up the controversial post.

“We are investigating the matter and cannot say exactly what influenced him to make the objectionable comment,” Nikam said.

He also said that the members of the minority community, who had submitted a memorandum objecting to the social networking post, were “satisfied” with the police action in the case.

Senior police officials held a meeting to ensure communal harmony and law and order in the city following the incident, he added.

PTI