Kashmiri students allege harassment in MP
By: SHABIR IBN YUSUF
SRINAGAR, Jan 15: A number of Kashmiri students studying in Madhya
Pradesh (MP) have alleged that they were being harassed by police and asked to get credentials verified by the Jammu and Kashmir police.
Police
said that they have no such information and questioning of students might be due to security reasons for coming Republic Day (RD).
The students
studying in some colleges and universities of MP have reported to their parents that the local cops are harassing them without any provocation. The
students have alleged that they are either called or taken to police station and being questioned.
Muhammad Abdullah, a Rafiabad Baramulla
resident said his son told him over the phone that MP police contingent had come to their makeshift residence in the evening two days ago. Police has
snatched the identity cards of three students and ordered them to report in the nearby police station in the morning. “My son along with three
other classmates went to police station and they were questioned there for one and a half hours," Abdullah said and added that he is very much
worried about his son. “I am thinking of getting my son back," he added.
Abdullah said his son told him that the MP police was also
conducting nocturnal raids at the makeshift residences of Kashmiri students. "He told me that police at times catches hold of Kashmiri students
outside the colleges, checks their identity cards and questions them during last few days," he added.
Similar incident has been reported by
Mushtaq Ahmad Lone of Kulgam to his family. "My brother said the police was harassing them for the last few days," Abdul Rashid, brother of Mushtaq
said and expressed grave concern over the harassment of Kashmir students in MP.
"Our government must take up the issue with the concerned
government," Rashid said but added that they are unable to understand the reason behind the harassment of Kashmir students. "First the MP government
suggested reduction of quota for Kashmiri students and now our boys are being harassed. We are unable to understand the situation," Rashid
added.
However, a senior police officer in Srinagar said questioning of students is likely because of coming Republic Day. “In every
state on such events movement of people gets monitored,” he said and added there is nothing to worry. He added that they no such information and
will look into the matter. “We will not allow anybody to harass innocent students from valley,” he said.
Here it needs a mention
during last year, Qaiser Ahmed Dar, a Kashmiri student who had gone to MP to register himself as a PhD student at Sagar University, was arrested by
the Bhopal anti-terrorist squad (ATS) and was released after nine days. He was released only after IGP Kashmir intervened.
During the same year
MP government found itself embroiled in the controversy after being accused of trying to keep Kashmiri students out of higher educational institutions
in the state.
[Kashmir Times]
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