Chandigarh: At least 10 students from Kashmir studying in two private educational institutes in Punjab on Monday alleged that they were assaulted, threatened and their hostel rooms vandalised after India lost to Pakistan in a T-20 World Cup cricket match by 10 wickets on Sunday night.
One incident was reported in the Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology located on the outskirts of Sangrur town, while another was reported from Rayat Bahrat University in Kharar in Mohali district.
Acting on the complaints, police have started an investigation.
Six victims of the engineering college accused their contemporaries belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of assaulting them after entering their rooms. Even hostel staff didn’t intervene on their complaints, they said.
One of the students live-streamed the attack on Facebook while they were being attacked with rods and sticks.
“The local Punjabi students came to our rescue and tried to save us from the attack,” a victim student told the police.
The students alleged that they were sitting in their rooms when the accused barged into their rooms and started assaulting them in retaliation for losing the match.
In a similar incident, four students were assaulted and beaten up in Rayat Bahrat University.
“Kashmiri students who were assaulted in Sangrur and Kharar Mohali told me that they were rescued by the locals and other Panjabi students. Students from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana had barged into their rooms, thrashed them and went on a rampage,” national spokesperson J&K Students Association Nasir Khuehami tweeted.
He said such incidents have increased the sense of insecurity and anxiety among Kashmiri youth studying and working outside as well as among their parents and relatives in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) has urged the Punjab government to take stern action against the people who attacked Kashmiri students at the culmination of Indo-Pak cricket match on Sunday.
In a statement APSCC chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina said that it is quite unfortunate that Kashmiri students studying in Bhai Guru Dass Institute in Punjab were attacked by students belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. He said the students should have taken the defeat of Indian cricket team against Pakistan in right spirit and not attacked the Kashmiri students.
The APSCC chairman said that action against the frantic elements would ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future. He demanded intervention at the highest level so that strict action is taken.
