Students hold protest at NIT Srinagar after being heckled by locals

Outstation students objected to local students' behaviour and asked them not to create ruckus as they were studying.

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Students hold protest at NIT Srinagar after being heckled by locals
Outstation students alleged that some local students created a ruckus at the NIT hostel in Srinagar. (Photo: Twitter)

In Short

  • Minor argument resulted in a fight between the students
  • Officials said panel formed to probe matter
  • Sources said Governor Satya Pal Malik had taken cognizance of unrest

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar continues to remain on edge as the students from outside Jammu and Kashmir have demanded the expulsion of some local Kashmiri students who allegedly thrashed two non-locals in the hostel on Thursday night.

According to students, one outstation student sustained minor injuries after he was allegedly beaten up by some local Kashmiri students.

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On Friday, the outstation students launched an agitation and demanded action against the guilty students. Protests by the outstation students continued all through the day on Friday.

But the tension at NIT Srinagar campus intensified on Friday evening after some local Kashmiri students allegedly pelted stones, which resulted in clashes between local and outstation students at the engineering institution.

India Today TV was flooded with frantic calls from outstation students all through the day on Friday. They alleged that local students were threatening them and NIT administration wasn't taking any action. "We are being threatened. The administration is not listening to our grievances," said one of the outstation students.

According to the students, tensions raged at NIT Srinagar on Thursday night when some local Kashmiri students allegedly created a ruckus in the hostel. The outstation students objected to their behaviour and asked them not to make noise as they were studying.

The minor argument resulted in a fight between the students. The non-local students claimed they were attacked and their rooms in the hostel were ransacked by some local Kashmiri students. However, local Kashmiri students have reportedly rejected their claims.

The outstation students also lashed out at the local media in Srinagar claiming they were not highlighting their plight.

"No media is in our campus to see what's happening here. They have blacked out our agitation. We are being threatened and no one is bothered about us," a student told India Today TV.

When India Today contacted the director of NIT, Srinagar Dr Rakesh Sehgal on Friday, he said that he wasn't in Srinagar.

"I'm not in Srinagar. I'm in Delhi right now. Yes, there was a minor altercation between some students. Professor HS Mir is handling the situation in the campus. We are talking to the students. It's a minor issue. We will sort this out," he said.

But the outstation students insisted they will not end their protest until action was taken against those found guilty. As the protests continued till late in the evening, the Srinagar administration acted swiftly.

Sensing trouble, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed rushed to NIT campus on Friday evening to defuse the crisis. After holding talks with students, he managed to convince them to call off their agitation.

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According to the students, the Deputy Commissioner assured them that guilty will be punished after a thorough probe is conducted into the matter.

Although they agreed to call of their agitation on Friday night, they maintained they wanted the students who attacked them to be expelled.

On Friday evening, sources told India Today that Governor Satya Pal Malik had also taken cognizance of the NIT campus unrest and directed officials to resolve the matter and ensure the security of all students.

The outstation students staged fresh protests outside the director of NIT Srinagar's office on Saturday. According to sources, the director returned to Srinagar on Saturday in view of the campus unrest.

The NIT administration held talks with the protesters and also formed a probe panel in order to pacify them. The administration also said they will suspend the accused students from the hostel.

"We have formed a committee to investigate the entire matter. We are also suspending the accused students from the hostel," said an official from NIT, Srinagar.

The protests by the outstation students were still on at the time of filing this report.

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Meanwhile, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina expressed concern over the unrest and blamed some local students for creating trouble at the engineering institution.

"Some local Kashmiri students acting at the behest of communal forces are vitiating the atmosphere of NIT. This can't be tolerated," Raina told India Today TV.

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