Pulwama fallout: Students from J&K told to leave Ambala village

Ambala: A village sarpanch has issued an ultimatum to paying guest owners to oust Kashmiri students of Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana, within 24 hours following the Pulwama terror attack that killed around 40 CRPF troopers. A video of the announcement made on Friday during a march held to protest the attack has gone viral. In the footage, the sarpanch warned PG owners of facing the anger of villagers if they did not expel Kashmiri students.Many have already heeded to the threat.
“I live in the university hostel while my brother stayed as a paying guest in Mullana. On Friday evening, his landlord asked him to leave. The university is demanding Rs 6,000 fee for staying in the hostel for a month without food,” said a woman Kashmiri student. A third-year student said, “Our landlord in the night asked us to vacate the rooms. The police took us to the university hostel. But we are not feeling safe here. I will be going back to my village in Shopian.”
Mullana sarpanch Naresh Kumar, however, claimed the threat was not meant for all. “During the Uri attack, some of the Kashmiri students from the university had posted celebratory comments on Facebook. This time again, some students made such comments. The ultimatum is only for three students who we have identified. .”
Superintendent of police Astha Modi said, “We have increased deployment of police in the area. There are nearly 60 students in Mullana. We have talked to students and management of the institute as well. No practice of victimising Kashmiri students will be allowed .”
Ambala deputy commissioner Sharandeep Kaur Brar said, “The problem has been sorted. As of now, the students have been shifted to university hostel for security and safety reasons. No such policing would be allowed by the villagers. If anything comes to the fore, action will be taken as per law.”
Barara sub-divisional magistrate Girish Chawla said, “The sarpanch has apologised in front of university officials, Kashmiri students, and Barara DSP. We have deployed 60 commandos for security reasons and asked the students to move back to their PGs.