After firing, Kashmir students face more trouble in MP

After firing, Kashmir students face more trouble in MP

By: SHABIR IBN YUSUF

SRINAGAR, Jan 28: Kashmiri students studying in different universities and colleges of Madhya Pradesh (MP) have alleged that they are being forced to vacate the make shift residences (rented accommodations) by the people of the state after the Ujjain shoot out in which a Sopore student was injured.

Police said they will take up the matter with their counterparts in MP.

According to parents of several students studying in Madhya Pradesh, the local residents are asking the students to vacate the makeshift residences within no time. “My son along with two other students was asked by landlords to vacate the rooms within four days,” Abdul Rashid of Pattan said. “The college in which they are studying is having no hostel facilities. My son and other students have no alternative accommodation,” he added.

A student who is pursuing post-graduation in chemistry in Madhya Pradesh said they are feeling insecure and are seen as suspects. “They are not only asking us to vacate rented accommodations, they also treat us as suspects,” he said, adding that be it travel to college or shopping for essential commodities, we face harassment. The shoot out has also forced upon the Kashmiri students frequent checks by the Madhya Pradesh police. “My son told me that police is now off and on visiting their rented accommodations and harassing them on one pretext or the other,” said Manzoor Ahmad, a parent, and he added that he is very much worried about his son.

He added that situation arose after Shabir Ahmed Malla, a resident of Botengo area of Sopore in north Kashmir was shot at and critically injured in Ujjain. Shabir is doing M.Phil from Vikram Vishwavidyalaya. Shabir was walking on the road when two unidentified persons on a bike shot at him. He was injured critically.

Next day after the shoot out, chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted and said that he spoke to his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan, inquiring about the shooting of the student. "Spoke to the CM of MP regarding Ujjain shooting of Kashmiri youth. He has assured that guilty will be punished and other Kashmiri boys' safety also," Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

Yesterday during a function in New Delhi Omar referred to the firing incident Director General of Police (DGP) J&K, Kuldeep Khoda told Kashmir Times over phone that his force is in constant touch with Madhya Pradesh police after the Ujjain shoot out. “I will take up the issue of vacating of rented accommodations with my counterpart in MP. I assure the parents of students that we will not allow anybody to harass the Kashmir students in Madhya Pradesh or in any other state,” he said and added that senior officers of J&K police are in constant touch with MP police after the Ujjain shoot out.

[Kashmir Times]