Extremism
Pulwama attack aftermath: Four Kashmiri students suspended for allegedly ‘celebrating’ attack in Rajasthan
Four Kashmiri students were suspended on Saturday by the National Institute of Medical Science (NIMS), Rajasthan for sharing a WhatsApp status in which they were allegedly celebrating the Pulwama attack which left 49 CRPF personnel dead.
The second-year students — Talveen Manzoor, Iqra, Zohra Nazir and Uzma Nazir — were suspended soon after they shared as a WhatsApp status allegedly celebrating the killings of the CRPF personnel in the attack.
“You have posted an anti-national message on your WhatsApp for celebrating martyrs of Pulwama attack,” read an order issued by the Registrar, NIMS.
“NIMS University Rajasthan will not tolerate and strictly condemns such activities. Since the above act of theirs is grave and serious in nature, these students are hereby suspended with immediate effect from college and hostel,” added the order.
Sushila Chettri, hostel warden at NIMS, told The Times of India that the matter first came to light on Saturday morning and by afternoon, students and outsiders were demanding action and held protests against them.
The university administration informed the police after protesters refused to disperse until the students were removed from the campus, said Chettri.
“I have no idea about the whereabouts of the girls. All I know is that they had left the campus by 5.30 pm,” said Chettri.
Earlier, Shridev Suman Subharti University in Dehradun suspended a Kashmiri student after his alleged WhatsApp chat regarding the Pulwama attack went viral.
Meanwhile, Aligarh Muslim University also suspended a Kashmiri student over a ‘highly objectionable tweet’.
Omar Saleem Peerzada, AMU PRO said: “We have come to know of the highly objectionable tweet. Taking immediate cognizance the student has been suspended by the university administration,” he said.
Moreover, 15-20 Kashmiri female students had locked themselves in a hostel room in Dehradun after a mob surrounded the campus area, demanding the management to ‘throw them out of their rooms’.
Shazia Hamid, one of the students, told Free Press Kashmir that she and other Kashmiri female students, fearing the mob, have locked themselves in a room.
Following Free Press Kashmir’s news story the women were provided safety by the Dehradun police who dispersed the crowd peacefully.
Earlier, former chief minister Omar Abdullah had appealed to the Home Minister of India Rajnath Singh to direct all state governments to take ‘special care of areas where Kashmiris as residing or studying.’
Following the reports of attacks on Kashmiris in various parts of India, Government of India on Saturday asked all the states to ensure safety and security of the students and people from Jammu and Kashmir.
