Lucknow, In a concerning development, Uttar Pradesh police have arrested nine Muslim youths in the past two months on what are reported to be fabricated charges.

According to Kashmir Media Service, these individuals, all current or former students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), have been apprehended under the pretext of a crackdown on an alleged “ISIS module”. The youth, identified as Abdullah Arsalan, Maaz Bin Tariq, Wajihudeen, Raqib Imam, Muhammad Noman, Naved Siddiqui, Muhammad Nazim, Abdul Samad Malik, and Faraz Ahmed, were arrested from various locations within and outside the state.

These students were associated with SAMU (Students of Aligarh Muslim University), an informal student body known for activities aimed at preserving the spiritual integrity of human life against the influences of modernity and liberalism. A former AMU student, who chose to remain anonymous, shared this information with Maktoob, an online news portal.

The nature and legitimacy of the police’s claims have been called into question. An AMU official, who also requested anonymity, labeled the police’s allegations as “baseless” in a conversation with The Wire, another online news outlet.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, the AMU proctor Wasim Ali reported that no official information regarding the arrests had been received from state agencies. He mentioned learning about the arrests through media sources, as highlighted by The Wire.

The situation raises significant concerns about the treatment of Muslim youth in Uttar Pradesh and the legitimacy of the charges against them, prompting calls for a transparent and fair investigation.