The Uttar Pradesh-Bihar students who allegedly roughed up the Kashmiri students in Punjab’s Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology (BGIET) college have not been rusticated from the college, the authorities have confirmed with OpIndia. This comes after social media post in which one Kashmiri student can be heard claiming that the college authorities have taken action against the students of UP-Bihar. The clashes were reported after Kashmiri students in the Punjab college were found celebrating and cheering for Pakistan after India lost to their arch nemesis on field in T20 World Cup match.
On October 24, after India lost the match against Pakistan in T20 World Cup, some Kashmiri students of Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology (BGIET) were caught on camera cheering for Pakistan. As a result, a scuffle broke out between the students from Kashmir and UP/Bihar, who opposed the cheering for the neighbouring country. The incident took place at around 11:30 PM on Sunday.
A video was later shared by a Kashmiri student alleging that the students from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar barged into the room where Kashmiri students reside. He alleged, “We were watching the match here, and some students from Uttar Pradesh forcibly came inside and hit us.” In the video, the student also alleged that their rooms were vandalised and showed the condition of a couple of rooms.
As per reports, the students from Kashmir and UP, Bihar and Haryana were watching the Indo-Pak cricket match in their respective rooms. The Kashmiri students were allegedly cheering for Pakistan and raising ‘Azadi slogans. Once the match was finished, they allegedly burst firecrackers and celebrated Pakistan’s victor. The students from other states got irked by their behaviour and confronted them. The argument between the students soon turned into a scuffle.
The Police were informed about the incident who reached the institute to control the situation. Times of India quoted Inspector General of Police Patiala (Range), MS Chinna, saying that the students from Kashmir and UP/Bihar had a scuffle. “Both sides have apologised and have given in writing that they will not indulge in such activities in the future and will concentrate on their studies. Thus the matter has been amicably settled.”
Police said around 25-30 students from both groups landed in a scuffle over the alleged cheering for the Pakistani team by Kashmiri students. A senior Police officer, however, denied the reports that suggested ‘Azadi’ or anti-India slogans were raised.
Guninderjit Singh, director of Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology, told TOI that the institute has set up a five-member committee including the dean, students welfare, dean, affairs and others to investigate the incident. If anyone was found guilty, the institute might take action. He added, “The minor spat and heated arguments took place between the students of Kashmir and those from UP and Bihar, but some provoking videos making rounds over social media do not belong to the incident at our college.” He said the reports of students getting injured were also false.
OpIndia reached out to Sangrur senior superintendent of police Swapan Sharma who said that there was a minor scuffle between the two groups that has been resolved. When asked if any action was taken, Sharma said, “They are students. It was a minor scuffle between them. We advised them to concentrate on their studies rather than indulging in such activities. There was no need of any police action.”
BGIET denied social media posts regarding the rustication of UP/Bihar students
On Monday, some social media posts claimed that BGIET had rusticated the students from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, who confronted the Kashmiri students. The posts were based on a video in which a student Kamil Rashid from BGIET alleged that the students from UP/Bihar were fined and rusticated.
OpIndia reached out to the BGIET administration to confirm if the institute rusticated any student after the incident. While talking to OpIndia, Associate Professor Pranjal Shukla said that there was a minor scuffle between the students, which was resolved quickly. When asked about the social media reports, he said, “The social media reports are false. No student got rusticated. We are not going to take any such action. They are our children. Nothing will happen to the students from UP and Bihar. We have no plans to take any action against any student.”
UAPA invoked against students who cheered for Pakistan in Kashmir
Reports on Monday suggested that students in Kashmir’s Srinagar colleges who celebrated Pakistan’s victory against India in T20 World Cup on Sunday are booked under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Two separate cases have been registered in two separate incidents, one at the hostel of SKIMS hospital in Soura and another at the hostel in Government Medical College (GMC) in Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
