Kashmiri students’ security beefed up in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN: Keeping in view the increased tension in Kashmir, the Uttarakhand police have sent out instructions to its officials in all districts to ensure security of Kashmiri students currently studying in the state.

Based on guidelines received from the union ministry of home affairs, director general of police (DGP) MA Ganapathy has instructed the district police chiefs to identify and keep a close watch in the areas where Kashmiri students are present in sizeable numbers.

Inspector general of police (law and order) Deepam Seth said that station house officers (SHOs) have been directed to find out details about Kashmiri students and their numbers, keep an eye on their security and ensure that any issue faced by a student from the community under their jurisdiction is handled promptly.

“As a part of the community outreach programme, officials at police station level have been asked to reach out to the Kashmiri students, maintain a contact with them so as to instil a sense of security among them. They’ve also been sensitised to respond promptly to any incident of harassment or any kind of problems to their security reported by the students,” Seth told Hindustan Times on Sunday.

“The initiative will ensure that the students (who are away from their home state) can focus on their studies and not be distracted by anything else,” he added.

Citing that “no specific incident of the Kashmiri student community being targeted” had taken place in the state of late, Seth said that regular social media monitoring was also being conducted through a dedicated cell of the cyber police for any hateful post or threat content directed against the Kashmiri students.

Notably, Uttarakhand attracts a large number of Kashmiri students for undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses every year.

In December last year, a clash had reportedly broken out on the campus of an educational institute located on Dehradun’s outskirts between youngsters from a right-wing affiliated group and Kashmiri students over alleged raising of anti-India slogan.

“We find Uttarakhand a peaceful place (for us) and hope that it remains one...we hope that the police initiative goes on to make us even safer,” Shoaib (he wished to share only his first name), a Kashmiri student who is pursuing graduation in paramedical sciences in Dehradun, told HT.