SRINAGAR, Sept 6: A university student in Muslim-majority Kashmir was slapped by a woman cop allegedly for refusing to remove her veil during a security check.
Kausar Tasleem, 22, a student of Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Science and Technology in South Kashmir’s Avantipora, says she got into a verbal spat with the policewoman who had asked her to remove her head gear for frisking.
“A policewoman asked me to get frisked, which I did. When I was leaving, she pulled the veil off my face. I hid my face with my hands and took the veil from her and covered my face again,” Tasleem was quoted as saying by the Tribune.
“I asked her why she pulled off the veil from my face. She became furious and slapped me very hard.”
The incident happened on Tuesday when the university was hosting the inaugural function of a three-day National Technical Festival – ‘Vastoorvan 2012’. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was expected to attend the function, but he could not, due to some reasons.
‘Hijaab’ is a veil worn by Muslim women as part of the Islamic faith. Incidentally, Tuesday, Muslim women world over observed the ‘World Hijaab Day’ to emphasize on ‘modesty among women especially girls by way of adopting the Islamic dress’.
Tasleem said she was let go only after other students interfered.
Police said the girl had refused to go through a security check, which was mandatory, in view of the VIP movement at the campus.
“She was told that frisking is necessary. The girl had refused to undergo a check and this led to some altercation,” a police spokesman said.
However, many believe the cop had no justification for physically assaulting the girl even if she had refused to comply with security measures. “They could have sent her back, or called her teachers,” said a student Shuja Ahmed.
Prof Afroz Ahmad Bisati, In charge, Islamic Studies Department of the IUST, said the issue has been “solved”. He, however, refused to share more details.
