Srinagar/Baramulla/Sopore, Apr 11: Student protests erupted once again in the Kashmir valley on Wednesday against the killings of four civilians in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
As soon as the news of the killings spread in Kashmir University, the students from various departments assembled outside the Humanities block and staged a protest. Chanting pro-freedom slogans, the students marched towards the administrative block and held a protest there.
A protest was also held at Central University campus Nowgam against the civilian killings.
Scores of students assembled in the varsity and raised pro-freedom slogans.
The students of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Hazratbal, Srinagar also staged a protest against the civilian killings.
Scores of local students assembled in the premises of the institute and shouted anti-government and pro-freedom slogans, said an eye-witness.
The girl students from Women’s College MA Road in Srinagar came out of the college and staged a protest on MA Road. The protesters raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
Witnesses said students from the college and Kothibagh school assembled on Residency road and raised pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.
The girl students hurled stones on the forces who responded by firing pepper gas shells. A girl student was injured after being hit by a stone during the protest.
The students from Islamia College of Science and Commerce also staged a protest against the Kulgam civilian killings.
In Baramulla, the students of Degree College clashed with the forces after holding a protest which left a police officer injured. SHO Police Station Baramulla Khalid Fayaz sustained head injuries and he has been shifted to SKIMS Soura for treatment.
Protests also erupted in Barmaulla town after students pelted stones on police and army vehicles.
Earlier in Sopore, students after returning from tuition centres hit the streets at Iqbal Market in Sopore town and tried to block the road. They were chased away by the government forces, resulting in clashes in the area.
Meanwhile, students of Degree College Handwara staged protest on Hundwara-Kupwara highway outside the college. They also clashed with government forces. Students in Bandipora, Palhallan also protested against civilian killings in Kulgam.
Police has arrested nine students and three others during the clashes in Baramulla, sources said.
Similarly, at Government Degree College Handwara the students staged a protest in the college premises which prompted the college authorities to suspend the day’s class-work.
The students from Government Degree College Sopore held a protest and later clashed with the forces over the killings.
The college authorities ordered the suspension of class-work in the college “as a precautionary measure”.
Earlier, authorities had ordered the closure of all educational institutions in Kulgam and parts of adjoining Anantnag district in the wake of civilian killings in Khudwani area of Kulgam district.
Similar protests were also witnessed in Budgam district of central Kashmir. Class-work was suspended at degree college Charar-i-sharief.
Scores of students, including girls, came out of the college premises and staged a protest against the killings.
The students of Bandipora Degree College and Sumbal Degree College also held protests. Reports said that hundreds of students assembled at the colleges and raised anti-India slogans.
They said that funeral prayers in absentia were held for the slain civilians at Sumbal Degree College.
