The protests against an allegedly blasphemous post from a non-local student spread to two major universities in Kashmir on Friday, with hundreds of students taking to the streets and demanding action against the perpetrator.

The protests at Kashmir University and the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) came despite the authorities warning of stern action against anyone trying to disrupt peace.

The protests remained peaceful at both universities although the participants chanted several controversial slogans.

The police said they had taken cognisance of six individuals allegedly involved in “propagating false information, instigative content inciting disaffection, and anti-social propaganda on social media platforms”.

A police spokesperson said: “Legal action under relevant sections of the law has been initiated.”

The police had asked people to refrain from sharing such content.

Official sources said the four-day-old demonstrations mark the first major protests by students in Kashmir since the scrapping of the special status in 2019.

The government had on Thursday ordered the closure of all colleges in the Valley and said classes would be held online from December 1 to December 31, or until the start of the winter vacation.

NIT Srinagar, where the alleged blasphemy originated, has prematurely declared winter vacation. The non-local NIT student who allegedly shared a video critical of Prophet Muhammad has been booked for promoting hate. He is back in his home state.

The march at Kashmir University, in Srinagar, was held after Friday prayers. The protesters were not allowed to step out of the campus. They later dispersed peacefully.

Nasir Khuehami, convener, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, said the government was likely to close the universities for the winter vacation to prevent more protests. “I, in fact, asked a top functionary to shut down the universities, too, for offline classes so that students are spared the FIRs and arrests (that might follow),” he said.