The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday ordered a probe into the recent incidents of violence, including a police cane-charge on protesting outstation students at Srinagar’s National Institute of Technology (NIT).
Meanwhile, the police has registered two separate FIRs at the concerned Nigeen police station here in connection with the violent incidents that took place on the campus on April 1 and 5. In Jammu, protests were held at various places on Thursday against police cane-charge against outstation students of the NIT Srinagar. However, the one-day shutdown call issued by the Shiv Sena over Tuesday’s police action evoked no or feeble response.
The campus overlooking the Dal Lake had on April 1 witnessed clashes after Kashmiri students celebrated India’s defeat at the hands of West Indies in ICC T20 semifinal by chanting pro-Pakistan slogans and lightening fireworks. Exasperated by it, the outstation students who outnumber the locals allegedly attacked them, leading to clashes and closure of the campus for students for four days.
On Tuesday evening, the outstation students attempted to leave the campus but were confronted by the local police which used force, leaving many students injured. The incident evoked outrage across the country and many people took to social networking sites to denounce police action. The Centre rushed a two-member team of the human resources development ministry (HRD) to hold talks with outstation students and asses the overall situation on the campus. Also, CRPF was deployed on the campus.
J&K deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh said that the state government has ordered a probe. It would be monitored by Srinagar’s additional deputy commissioner and would be submitting its report within 15 days. “We have got the report (about incidents). Yesterday, I had a conversation with the chief minister where it was decided that an inquiry would be instituted over the whole incident where police baton-charged and the students got injured,” he said.
Mr Singh was scheduled to arrive here from winter capital Jammu to visit the campus but was advised to defer it in view of the prevailing security situation. He had on Wednesday termed the previous evening’s incident as “a mild baton-charge” which was resented by outstation students and their parents. Explaining it, Mr Singh said, “When the incident took place, I got to know from a local level report that it was a mild baton-charge’. But later on I got to know that the police exceeded its duty and an unnecessary action was taken by them. That’s why we have instituted an inquiry which would submit its report within 15 days.”
J&K police D-G K. Rajendra Kumar visited the campus to take stock of the situation. Earlier, the police released a video showing how the outstation students damaged the NIT property and attacked the policemen on duty with stones on April 5. The police has lodged two separate FIRs.
