By TwoCircles.net, Staff Reporter,
Srinagar: Students protest, cancellation of Yoga Day, arrest of one of the protesting students and lock down of administration office, life at Kashmir University has been too hectic this past week.
The University witnessed massive protests these days by students following the arrest of a fellow student of English Department, which students allege was a result of police reprisal following anti-Yoga Day protests in the campus on the night of June 20.
The arrested student has been identified as Muzamil Farooq Dar, a resident of Kakapora tehsil of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. According to protesting students, Muzamil was arrested by local police when they raided his rental residence at Sadrabal area outside Kashmir University on Monday night.
The varsity officials had made elaborative arrangements to conduct Yoga sessions in the University campus. On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday last week, amid anti-BJP slogans, scores of students entered the campus and dismantled the erected tents, forcing University authorities to cancel the Yoga celebrations in the varsity next morning (June 21, Sunday morning).
Over last three days, hundreds of students from different departments amid anti-government and anti-India slogans marching through lanes of the campus and halting at different departments urging students to boycott their classes.
“Students boycotted the classes and there was no class work in any department of the varsity,” said a group of students.
On Wednesday, the angry students had locked down the administration block of the varsity forcing the officials to stay hours in their respective offices. The students had also locked one of the main entrance to the campus, Sir Syed Gate. Journalists belonging to several media houses were barred from covering the protest march and were not allowed to enter into University premises.
The students who took part in Wednesday’s protest alleged harassment by university officials and issued a stern warning to them.
“We condemn the harassment of students – who were demanding release of Muzamil Dar in yesterday’s protest – by authorities inside varsity’s hostel last night,” said the protesting students.
One of the students quoted KU Vice Chancellor Khursheed Andrabi as saying: “I called the Inspector General of Police thrice. He told me that they have evidence that the boy (Dar) has some connections with militancy. I have also written a letter to Director General of Police seeking his release.”
On Thursday, the protesting students turned violent, attacking the administration building housing the vice chancellor’s office with stones. Eye-witnesses said the students engaged in massive stone pelting following which the police resorted to baton-charge to disperse the protesters.
While the students alleged that the authorities were not making efforts to release Muzamil, the public Relations Department of the varsity said that they held several rounds of negotiations with the protesting students, urging them to call off the protests. “The call was made in the light of the fact that the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor had taken up the matter with the State Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police (Kashmir), seeking their intervention in the matter,” a spokesman said to a local newspaper.
The University has suspended class work in its Main Campus until June 27, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile on Thursday evening, Police issued a statement alleging that the student has links with militants.
“Police have arrested Muzammil Farooq, son of Farooq Ahmad, resident of Gandebagh Pulwama. Muzamil, a student of Kashmir University’s English department was arrested for his links with militants. He was wanted in a case under FIR No. 90 of Police Station Rajbagh,” the statement read.
The Police have also denied that he was arrested for as he had refused to perfrom Yoga on the International Yoga Day. “Today some students of the University disrupted class work in the campus and tried to mislead other students saying that Muzammil was arrested for opposing Yoga on Sunday which is totally baseless and false,” the statement said, adding, “Rounds of talks were held between KU administration and the protesting youth with an eye being kept on law and order by KU security wing and Proctorial wing. However, despite clarifications about the arrest and fervent requests to end the protest some trouble mongers among the students instigated the youth who became violent and started damaging University property.”
The statement further said, “Students vandalized the campus property, broke window panes and doors and other furniture in administration block. They also hurled rocks and stones on buildings and KU security officials. Flash Bang Stun Shells were used to restore law and order in the campus. No injuries were reported.”
(With inputs from Greater Kashmir)