Student arrested for shouting slogans gets bail

Police said cases were registered under sections 505(1)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm) and 290 (public nuisance) of the IPC and section 75(1)(c) of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act

A court granted bail to a 28-year-old student on Tuesday, a day after she was arrested for shouting anti-BJP slogans in front of the party's state unit chief Tamilisai Soundararajan on board a domestic flight.

Soon after the BJP leader and the student, identified as Lois Sofia, arrived at the airport's arrival lounge from Chennai on Monday, an argument ensued between them, which was caught on a camera. Tamilisai is heard telling the student and the people who gathered at the lounge that a plane was no place to raise slogans.

"It (inside of a flight) is not a public forum. How can you expect me to keep mum when she shouts down with BJP's fascist government looking at me? Is it freedom of expression?" she asked. According to Soundararajan, the woman said it was her right to raise slogans and the BJP leader alleged that she uttered "unspeakable words" at the airport lounge. The woman is a student at a Canadian university and is on a visit to her native district.

A case was registered against her based on a complaint from Soundararajan, following which Sofia was produced before the third judicial magistrate court on Monday. Police said cases were registered under sections 505(1)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm) and 290 (public nuisance) of the IPC and section 75(1)(c) of the Tamil Nadu City Police Act.

While being taken to the prison on Monday night, Sofia complained of uneasiness and was admitted to a hospital, police said, adding she was still in the facility. The student would be released once the surety is furnished in the court, a top police officer said.

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