Bengaluru, Nov 20 (IANS): Kannada actor Chetan Ahimsa has stirred a row by saying that people of Pakistan are our kith and kin in connection with the detention of three college students who raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans at a cultural fest in Bengaluru.

"For sloganeering 'Pakistan Zindabad' for fun at their college fest yesterday (Friday), three Bengaluru students - Aryan, Ria and Dinakar - have been bullied and taken into police custody... ridiculous and dangerous. People of Pakistan are out kith and kin - not our enemies. Freedom of speech must be upheld," Chetan posted on social media.

Karnataka police have lodged an FIR against three engineering students of a reputed college in Bengaluru for raising pro-Pakistan slogans at a cultural programme.

According to police, the students, including a girl student, had raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans at a cultural fest organised in the premises of the college on Thursday.

The police have booked a case against the accused persons while the college management has suspended the students following the incident.

After a video of three students raising pro-Pakistan slogans had gone viral on social media, the college management had taken action on them and lodged a complaint with the police.

The police have started questioning the students in this regard and taken their mobiles into custody.

The police said the students are claiming that they raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans for fun. The two students raised the slogans while another filmed the act.

After other students questioned them, the three students apologised for their act and maintained that they did it only for fun.