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Updated: Feb 18, 2019 22:42 IST

The Assam Police arrested three youth on Monday on charges of sedition and another person for promoting rioting with social media posts in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack and hailing Pakistan, officials said.

In Ledo town of Tinsukia district of upper Assam, Khairul Alam, 18, who runs a small paan shop wrote “Pakistan Zindabad” in a comment on his Facebook account. As the news of the comment spread, Alam was manhandled by the locals and a complaint was lodged, police said adding that a law and order situation was developing because of the post.

“We have arrested Khairul Alam and two others including Saikul Alam and Riyazul Haq whom we suspect were part of the conspiracy,” said Shiladitya Chetia, Superintendent of Police, Tinsukia. “They have been arrested under Sections 120(B), 121, 121(A), 124(A), 153, 153(A), 153(B) of the IPC read with Section 67 of the IT Act,” said Chetia. All three have been charged with sedition and waging war against the state among others.

Also read: Four students face sedition charges, man thrashed in aftermath of Pulwama attack

In Goalpara district of lower Assam, Shahnawar Islam was arrested by the police which registered a suo moto case over his Facebook post where he “appreciated” the Pulwama suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir which targeted CRPF personnel. “He wrote ‘well done’ on his social media account,” said Sushanta Biswa Sarma, adding he has been arrested under Sections 120(B), 153, 153(A) of the IPC for promoting enmity and rioting. Islam (21) is unemployed, the police said.

Meanwhile, in Guwahati, an assistant professor of English who was being interrogated by the Guwahati police has gone missing, the police said after she failed to turn up on Monday for further questioning.

Papri Banerjee (37) was suspended by the Ikon Commerce College in Guwahati on Saturday as her Facebook post which was critical of role of the security forces in Kashmir and said they “rape” and “kill” went viral. She was also interrogated by the Guwahati police was asked to report to the police station again on Monday. A case under the IT Act and other sections was registered against her.

“Her parents said she is missing since yesterday,” said Biren Chandra Deka, in-charge of Chandmari police station. “Now that she has not turned up, we will have to look for her and she will be arrested,” he said.

Earlier, the police registered a case against All India United Democratic Front MLA Aminul Islam over a Facebook post on the Pulwama incident.

On February 16, the MLA wrote how attacks in Kashmir only happen before parliamentary polls.

“We have registered a case based on a complaint. We have asked Facebook for details of the said profile before we take further action,” said Upen Kalita, in-charge of Latasil police station in Guwahati.

Speaking to journalists, Aminul Islam said his post has been misinterpreted He said there is a conspiracy by vested interests and that he had condemned the incident.