SRINAGAR, July 1: In a fresh incident of Kashmiris being harassed in other states of the country, a group of students have alleged that they were subjected to a severe beating at their college in Haryana state.
Engineering students of the Swami Devi Dayal College of Engineering and Technology at Golpura Barwalla said they were roughed up by a group of the local youth and hooligans without any provocation on Friday.
“Last night at around 10:30 pm, we were studying in two hostel rooms and suddenly the hooligans bolted one room where five students were sitting and then barged into another room, where two others were studying. Without asking for anything, they started abusing and harassing us,” one of the students said and was quoted a local newspaper Greater Kashmir.
The assaulters, he said, were armed with iron rods and inflicted serious injuries on the Kashmiri students.
Another student alleged the assaulters as saying, “Why do you people come here? This is not Kashmir it is India. You are terrorists we will teach you a lesson.”
The students allege that the attack was carried out in connivance with the security guards who, they said, arrived late on the scene.
“We took the injured to the college hospital, but the paramedics, on duty there, refused to provide first aid to them saying that it is a police case. As suggested by the paramedical staff, we rang up the police, but we were shocked by the attitude of the cops. Instead of nabbing culprits, they hurled abuses on us and threatened us of dire consequences if we lodged an FIR,” they said.
The students said they were almost whisked away by the police but were left only after “we pleaded with them like beggars”.
The incident has sent drwan stron criticism from all quarters of the valley alike.
Spokesperson of the ruling National Conference party, Tanvir Sadiq said, “Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has taken a very strong notice and directed the Director General of Police K Rajendra to immediately talk to his counterpart and ensure that they (Kashmiri students) are not harassed by anyone.”
“Any State Subject or any Student visiting any part of the country should stay assured that the Omar Abdullah led government is committed for their protection and safety. We will not tolerate any harassment or intimidation by anyone to our people,” he said.
Separatist leader and chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also has strongly condemned the incident and has called upon New Delhi to “ensure the security of Kashmiris studying outside Kashmir”.
