Early Times Report
Srinagar, Aug 27: In yet another incident related to cricket, at least half a dozen Kashmir students sustained injuries last night after local students and residents allegedly thrashed them at Swami Parmanand College of Engineering & Technology (SPCET) in Chandigarh 'forcing' them to flee. The students told over phone that while watching cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the hostel room, local students thrashed them. "Around 9:00 pm, we were watching Pakistan's match in Block A of the College hostel when around 80 non local students barged into our Block and started thrashing us ruthlessly," Nazim Mughal, a 6th Semester B.Tech student said. "The reason for their aggression against us was Pakistan's match. They didn't like it. It was intolerable for them to see us watching the match," he said. The students told that following the incident, the hostel's warden and police, who rushed to the spot, directed the Kashmir students to remain in their rooms. "We obeyed their order," they said."At 12:00 a.m. around 25 masked men, holding iron rods and sticks, barged into our Block and beat us mercilessly. They also broke glasses of windows. These people were not students but outsiders," the students told. The students said the thrashing incidents led to injuries to at least 6 students who belong to Kashmir. "Fortunately, no one among us sustained head injuries," they said. "The Police arrived again and detained four students under detention, however, they were freed later," said Muhammad Rashid, a student who lives in Jammu. Following the attacks on students, the student, Nazim said: "Today, we requested the college authorities to return our documents so that we could go to our homes. We felt insecure in the institution." The students told that after they informed college authorities of returning to Kashmir, they replied by saying: "It's your decision. If you want to return to college, then return and if not, then don't."A student told that around 250 to 300 students from Jammu and Kashmir is studying in the college and are pursing B. Tech. "90 per cent of them were admitted here under MHRD scheme," he said.Meanwhile, the students have left the college and are on their way to Kashmir, Nazim said. The principal of the college, Jyoti Kaul Matto, told that there was 'minor scuffle' between the students and claimed it has no connection with the cricket match.She admitted that there were injuries to the students but of 'minor nature'. Meanwhile, the principal said to ensure safety of the students, they have called-off teaching in the institute till7th of September and all the hostels have been vacated. She denied that the students from Jammu and Kashmir were targeted in particular. |