Kashmiri students attacked in another Indian university

Even as anger is brewing against invoking sedition charges against 68 Kashmiri students for cheering Pakistan’s victory in Meerut, there are reports about attacks on Kashmiri students in yet another university of Uttar Pradesh in India.

According to Kashmir Media, a group of Kashmir students of Sharda University located at Greater Noida, UP, told the Srinagar-based English daily Rising Kashmir over phone that they were harassed and attacked by the fanatic Hindu students.

“At around 12 noon, about 12 Kashmiri students were on their way to examination centre in the university. However, they were intercepted by a group of local students. They thrashed the Kashmiri students and beat them mercilessly. Our hostel was also attacked during the preceding night,” said Aasif Iqbal of Peerbagh Srinagar, who is pursuing Bachelors of Technology in Sharda University.

He mentioned that the beaten-up Kashmiri students were never involved to any kind of violence or cheering after Pakistan won the Asia Cup cricket match against its archrival India last Sunday.

Another Kashmiri student, Afshan Hameed, said they were happy after Pakistan won the match against India. “However, we neither celebrated it nor resorted to any kind of sloganeering”.

He said without any justification, the non-local students started harassing them since previous evening of the incident. “First they attacked our hostel and then they beat us mercilessly. When we wanted to know the reason, they said Kashmiri students have hurt their sentiments by supporting Pakistan. They said, ‘You are anti-state elements and a source of irritation’”.

Mohammad Yawar of Rawalpora Srinagar, who is pursuing MCA, said the Vivekananda Hostel, where the Kashmiris were staying, was attacked by local students during the preceding night.

“We were beaten to pulp by local students today. I suffered injuries in the head,” he said.

Yawar said they informed university authorities about the incident but they didn’t pay any heed. He said the Kashmiri students studying in the university were frightened and scared as the local students were constantly harassing and abusing them.