Kashmiri Students Face Violence at Punjab College, Prompting Return Home
Srinagar: In a shocking incident, several Kashmiri students were allegedly attacked in CT Institute of Engineering in Punjab’s Jalandhar on Friday.
According to sources, clashes broke out between two groups of students and those from Kashmir, after a female Kashmiri student was subjected to the alleged harassment and heckling within the college campus. A tense atmosphere gripped the CT college in Jalandhar, as students rallied in protest against the alleged assault of Kashmiri students on campus.
The CT Institute administration has suspended 14 students in connection with this incident. Additionally, 110 Kashmiri students who were pursuing various professional courses have reportedly been sent back to the valley.
“A non-local student passed a vulgar comment against a female Kashmiri student, triggering angry reaction from her male counterparts from the valley,” a student from Kashmir told.
“Instead of offering an apology to the victim, he hurled choicest abuses against Kashmiri students, which infuriated one of us, who slapped him for misbehaving with a female and abusing Kashmiris,” he added.
The J&K Students Association informed via its official X handle (formally Twitter) that despite lodging a complaint with the college administration, the grievances were purportedly ignored, leading to heightened resentment among the Kashmiri student community.
The situation took an ugly turn as Kashmiri students claimed to have been ruthlessly beaten by non-local students, further intensifying the already charged atmosphere on the campus.
“The girl student, who was harassed, approached the college administration, requesting action against the student involved. However, the college management chose to overlook her ordeal,” one of the expelled students said.
The students alleged that local students enrolled in the same institution attacked Kashmiri students with stones, but fortunately nobody was hurt in the incident on either side.
“During the scuffle, one of the Sikh students’ turban was unintentionally struck by a Kashmiri, yet they gave the incident a communal hue without taking into account the fact that it was an accident.”
“A few hours later, as we were getting ready for supper in the mess, a group of goons, brandishing swords and other weapons, gathered outside the college and attempted to break in, but the college management forbade them from doing so,” he added.
The J&K Students Association said that a committee has been formed in this regard, and to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri students, they have been sent back to the valley with the support of the college management. Special transport was arranged for Kashmiri students to travel back to their hometown.
“Even though the victim girl’s statement was recorded by the college administration, they did not take any action against the accused student and instead requested that we leave Punjab until the situation returns to normal” , the aggrieved students said.
When contacted one of the members of the college management, he stated that the students were sent back for a temporary period until the situation returns to normal. He mentioned that the step was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure peace is maintained.
“We have been asked by the police to hand over the CCTV footage, so that action against the accused can be initiated. As of now, no case has been lodged as the matter is still under investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile Nasir Khuehami, a student activist and national convener of J&K Student Union, said the matter has been taken up with the Commissioner of Police Punjab, who assured that no FIR will be lodged against any Kashmiri student.
“This is sheer hooliganism. Is this a way to treat a female? How could one student pass lewd comments against a female counterpart and then heckle her,” Khuehami told .
