PESHAWAR, Dec 13: The Peshawar High Court on Monday granted interim pre-arrest bail to eight students of University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Peshawar, charged with killing of a fellow student over playing music at a hostel.

A single-bench comprising Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan directed the eight petitioners to furnish two sureties of Rs300,000 each.

The bench fixed Dec 20 for next hearing during which it would be decided whether to confirm their pre-arrest bail or order their arrest.

Advocate Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik appeared for the petitioners and contended that they were falsely implicated in the case.

One of the prime accused in the case, Nauman Khattak, was earlier arrested by police in Karak district, but was later on set free on bail by an anti-terrorism court.

The deceased, Adnan Abdul Qadir, a final year student of UET, had died at a local hospital on March 19 after he received serious injuries on March 12 in a clash with alleged activists of Islami Jamiat Tulaba (IJT). Mr Qadir belonged to southern Bannu district

The complainant in the case was Ibrahim Khan, a fellow student, who had charged nine members of IJT for the offence.

The accused included Sibghatullah, Muqeemuddin, Umer Farooq, Mohammad Ibrahim, Nauman Khattak, Zahid Khattak, Azizur Rehman, Fahad and Zulfiqar. The accused Nauman was arrested few days after the occurrence whereas rest of the eight avoided their arrest. Few days ago they filed pre-arrest bail petition before the anti-terrorism court in Peshawar, but it was dismissed on Dec 7.

However, as the eight petitioners were not present in the courtroom, therefore, they could not be arrested and they moved the high court for getting pre-arrest bail.

The death of the student had sparked violent demonstrations following which all the educational institutions on the Peshawar University Campus were closed down for few weeks.