Muslim Men Jailed for a Year Over Pelting Stones at Police in Hubballi Riot Case

Several Muslim men in Hubballi, Karnataka, have been jailed for a year for allegedly pelting stones at police officers during a riot that occurred in April 2022. The police have invoked the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case, which has been assigned to a designated NIA court in Bengaluru. According to reports, over 1,000-1,500 people assembled, triggered by a WhatsApp message out of sudden provocation. A number of Muslim men were picked up from Muslim-majority areas in Ajmer Nagar, Asar Mohalla, Bantikatta, Mantur Road and the Old Hubballi region. They have been sent to jails several hundred kilometres away from their homes, making it hard for their families to visit them. They are only produced through video conferencing for court hearings. Ashraf Ali Bashir Ahamed, managing trustee of the Sana Shaheen educational institution, who has been rallying for the men’s release, said mobilizing resources up to the Supreme Court has been an impossible feat for the families. The petition in the apex court highlights the lack of evidence and seeks the quashing of multiple FIRs on the same crime.