Kashmiri students claim ragged, beaten up in Ghaziabad

Students from Kashmir in a local educational institute here complained that they were beaten up and ragged by seniors while the institute's authorities did not initiate any action against any accused students despite several telephonic, written and oral complaints, police said Thursday.

Police said that on Wednesday a Kashmiri student of B.Tech first year at HR Institute was using the toilet in the boys' hostel when he sustained an electric shock. As he cried out for help, senior students from B.Tech IIIrd year rushed and asked him the reason for his shouting which disturbed them as they were engaged in examination preparations.

The student, Mohammad Omar, explained the reason but the senior students, instead of consoling him, thrashed him and accused him of disturbing them.

In the meantime, some other Kashmiri students also reached the spot and protested the senior students' behaviour with junior students.

The heated arguments snowballed into a clash in which the Kashmiri students alleged that about 50 of them were injured. The institute management did not respond to the phone call, oral complaints and seems prejudiced in favour of native students, said the Kashmiri students speaking on the condition of anonymity.

In the meantime, their calls for help to their parents as well as Jammu and Kashmir Police, led its CID cell at Delhi to swing into action, visit the spot and discuss the matter with the local police.

After the visit from Jammu and Kashmir and local police to the institute, the management constituted a committee to ensure the security and safety of the Kashmiri students and a patrolling van was deployed outside the institute.

"Our officers have taken an undertaking from the institute for the safety and security of the Kashmiri students hence there stands no threat to them. Even if they are inclined to lodge any complaint, police are ready to initiate legal action against any offender who so ever he is," said Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Sachi Ghildiyal. - IANS