Association writes to Amit Shah seeking end to assault incidents, action against culprits
Jhansi: In a shocking incident, a group of 18 students from Jammu and Kashmir, who had enrolled in an integration program at a Jawahar Navodaya branch in Jhansi, were subjected to physical assault by local students and outsiders, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association told Free Press Kashmir.
The students from Jammu and Kashmir had come to Jhansi to participate in a cultural exchange program, but their visit took a horrifying turn when they were forced to leave the city.
Tensions had been brewing following an altercation involving students from Jhansi at Navodaya Vidyalaya in Rajouri. This altercation seems to have triggered a series of unfortunate events.
Local students in Jhansi surrounded the hostel where the visiting students from the Kashmir valley were staying and began raising slogans against them. The situation escalated further when the locals demanded that the visiting students be handed over to them, leading to a violent confrontation, with reports of stone-pelting, the Association’s convenor Nasir Khuehami told FPK.
In response to the escalating violence, school authorities quickly informed the police. A police team was dispatched to the scene to quell the protests.
Meanwhile, the students association has written to Home Minister of India Amit Shah, expressing deep concern and outrage over the recent brutal assault on 18 Kashmiri students.
The letter highlighted the alarming trend of violence against Kashmiri students studying outside their state, causing fear and insecurity among them.
The recent assault underscores the urgent need for immediate action.
This incident, the sixth of its kind in the past nine months, highlights a growing trend of violence against Kashmiri students studying outside their state, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among them, Khuehami said.
This altercation, coupled with similar incidents in Aligarh Muslim University, Noida, and other areas, underscores the urgent need for immediate and decisive action to address this escalating problem, he emphasised.
The students of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those from Kashmir, are facing immense difficulties due to relentless harassment and ruthless beatings they have been subjected to on numerous occasions. These incidents have caused severe stress and mental trauma among the students. Despite bringing this matter to the attention of the concerned authorities, no concrete steps have been taken to ensure the safety and security of these students, Khuehami stated in the letter.
He said, “It is distressing to note that even though the Home Ministry had previously issued advisories to take strict action against those responsible for such incidents, the harassment continues unabated. The hostile and irrational practice of inducing fear in society through such culture must be curbed immediately.”
“The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association strongly condemns these heinous acts and demands a thorough and time-bound inquiry into the facts, circumstances, and nefarious designs, if any, behind the continuous attacks, intimidation, and harassment of Kashmiri students. We urge that those found guilty be held accountable through criminal proceedings. Additionally, we insist that authorities responsible for their lackadaisical attitude in ensuring a safe and conducive atmosphere for JK students, especially those from Kashmir, be held accountable,” the association convener said.
