DEHRADUN:

Mob targets Kashmiri girls’ hostel in Dehradun

A mob occupied a Kashmiri girl students’ hostel in Dehradun on Saturday, prompting police to take swift action to bring situation under control.

“An unruly mob had gathered around a girls’ hostel in Suddhowala on Saturday evening. Around 25-30 Kashmiri girls stay there. We instantly informed SSP Dehradun and police force was deployed in the area. The situation in Bhauwala is also bad,” said Nasir Khuehami, spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Students’ Organisation.

“Kashmiri students in Dehradun have been threatened to leave the city within 24 hours. We are constantly in touch with police in Dehradun and Kashmir and have set up a helpline number for Kashmiri students. We have been assured by authorities that no harm will come to any Kashmiris in Dehradun,” he said.

At least a dozen Kashmiri students fled from Dehradun on Saturday following the protests by right-wing groups after two Kashmiri students allegedly made objectionable remarks regarding Pulwama attack on social media.

Members of Bajrang Dal, VHP, and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha visited private colleges in Dehradun and demanded suspension/rustication of Kashmiri students.

A group of eight, all of them fled from the premises without any of their belongings.

AT LEAST A DOZEN KASHMIRI STUDENTS FLED FROM DEHRADUN FOLLOWING THE PROTESTS BY RIGHT-WING GROUPS

“We requested our landlord to give us shelter in his house and he agreed. We were there for about a couple of hours when a group of people reached there as well to question our landlord. We ran from there as well, scaled a wall to escape,” the student said.

Dehradun’s SSP Nivedita Kukreti said police were providing protection to Kashmiri students. “We have deployed forces for the safety of students and will not let them come to any harm.”

Jammu and Kashmir police said they have spoken to Dehradun Police officials regarding harassment of Kashmiri students. “We have been assured that... no harm will come their way,” DIG of police (North Kashmir) Atul Kumar Goel said in a statement.