Authorities mobilise help for safety of Kashmiri students in outside states

Srinagar, Apr 24: In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the Kashmiri students studying in different colleges and universities outside Jammu and Kashmir have been making distress calls, seeking help saying that they were facing threats, intimidations from fringe elements.

Several videos went viral on social media, where the Kashmiri students were seen beaten and thrashed by the lumpen elements in various states. The students said they were beaten, threatened and were warned to vacate and leave or face consequences.

A person identifying himself from a fringe group in Uttrakhand, uploaded a video on social media and “warned all the Kashmiri students studying in Dehradun to vacate or face the consequences.” In his video, the person sent an open threat to the Kashmiri students to leave for home. These threats and warnings were given in wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, leaving 26, mostly tourists dead. "How long we will wait for the government to act. We have decided to act now and will ensure that no Kashmiri Muslim students are sighted here," the person in his video said.

In another video, a female student of Kashmir studying in Chandigarh uploaded her video on social media seeking help to return home. "We are threatened here. Some of the students were beaten ruthlessly and we are starving for the last two days," the girl said in her video.

The students said they were frightened as they were tortured and given ill treatment by the locals outside. "We are forced to remain indoors and not allowed to move out. Locals put blame on us (as Kashmiris) for the Pahalgam attack, but we have not done anything," the frightened students said.

The students appealed to the authorities to ensure their safe passage to their respective homes in Kashmir. Amid the open threats and incidents of thrashing of Kashmiri students outside J&K, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that he was in touch with his counterparts in all these states.

"The J&K government is in touch with the governments of the states where these reports are originating from. I’m also in touch with my counterpart Chief Ministers in these states & have requested they take extra care,” he wrote on his X handle.

Later talking to media persons, Omar Abdullah said that people outside should stop targeting the people of Kashmir. He urged the people across the country, “not to consider people of Kashmir their enemies.” "If the Centre is saying that the attack was done by Pakistan, then why are the youth and the students of Jammu and Kashmir being targeted in the outside states. It should be stopped,” Omar Abdullah said. He further said that he was in touch with several Chief Ministers and requested them to ensure the safety of J&K youth in their respective states.

Earlier, former CM and People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that she spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested him to intervene in the wake of certain elements openly threatening Kashmiri students and traders. The concern about the open threats and attacks on the Kashmiri students was brought to fore by the J&K Students Association (JKSA) who, however, urged the students studying outside not to engage in any political debate or share controversial posts on social media.

National Convener JKSA Nasir Khuehami in a statement said that they received distress calls from Kashmiri students and youth studying and working in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Landlords are asking them to vacate immediately, citing security concerns. Some have already left under pressure. This is alarming," he said. Khuehami urged the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Chief Ministers to intervene immediately and ensure the safety of Kashmiri students. JKSA took up the matter with Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth, regarding the open threats issued by members of a fringe group to Kashmiri students, including an ultimatum asking them to vacate the state. "We have been told FIR has been registered and arrests will follow shortly. DGP informed us that a team led by the SSP Dehradun will soon visit Kashmiri students in Prem Nagar, Sudhowala, Nanda ki Chowki and Selaqui to ensure their safety and instill confidence,"  Khuehami said.