‘Disciplinary Committee constituted; Seems like ‘Semester War’ Says College Principal
Qaiser Dar
Srinagar 16 April (KNB): Third Semester students of Kashmir Law University Nowshara, Srinagar alleged that the students of 8th Semester abused, harassed and threatened them.
Yesterday, several videos emerged from the campus of the college, in which female students could be heard screaming and several students were seen having a scuffle. In another video, few girls, seemingly students could be heard saying that their seniors gave life threats to them.
Talking to Kashmir News Bureau, one of the students of 3rd Semester (on basis of anonymity) said that since the batch has joined the college, the then 6th semester students have tried ragging them and imposing their authority.
“During those initial times only, a kind of rift started as we refused to be ragged and neither did we allow them to impose any dominance over us,” student said.
“Since then there have been an issue or the other between the two semesters, but recently, they (8th Sem student) thrashed few students from our batch. They beat them with belts and launched chairs at them,” the student said, adding that for sure there will be CCTV footage of the incident in possession of the college administration but they won’t show it.
“Not a single person from the college authority or staff tried to help or save the students from getting beaten up,” the student added.
Another student, who also didn’t wish to be named, told KNB that three students from third semester were beaten up by the 8th semester students, among which one sustained serious injury in his ear.
“After the incident, the matter was taken up by the college administration and two among the three students who were beaten up, negotiated/compromised but the third one, who sustained a serious injury in the incident, didn’t and has filed an FIR at the concerned Police Station as well,” the student said.
“Even the Munshi of the concerned police station was there to record the statements but no action was taken afterwards against the students in question here,” student said, adding that, “When we contested about it, the 8th sem students tried to lash out at us again and one of our students got injured. She had a deep cut on her hand and received around 4 stitches.”
The student added that amid the scuffle one of the 8th Sem students made an obscene gesture (M-finger) in front of teachers, principal of the college. “Even the teachers are scared of them,” the student said.
Regarding the video that was uploaded yesterday, the student said, “Yes, outsiders had visited the campus, perhaps to help out their relatives studying there since no one from College Admin was providing any help, neither the police was there to look into the matter, but immediately the gate was locked and they were beaten up, as it is clearly visible in the video.”
The student added that there is one incident of an Acid Attack that took place at the campus in the past. “Giving the reference of that incident, the 8th Sem students have threatened us,” alleged the student.
However, 8th Semester students took to press enclave, Srinagar today (Friday) and refuted the allegations made against them.
One of the protesting students told KNB that the allegations are completely false.
“The thing is that there was an internal matter of the college and the third semester students called upon their boyfriends, sponsored outsiders who managed to enter the premises despite the doors being closed.”
He added, “ They came towards our group and started abusing us and fighting with us. In retaliation, in our defense we did use some force that you might have seen in the video.”
The student said that they are the ones who faced threat to life rather than the 3rd Sem students.
After the incident, Police officials helped us to leave for our homes safely as there were around 80 people waiting outside the campus to get us, the student added.
Afterwards, a first semester student came up and told KNB that the students belonging to 3rd Sem called upon them and ragged them. “We reached out to 8th Sem students regarding it and that’s how the fight developed.”
Kashmir News Bureau contacted Principal of the College, Showket Hussain, who said that a Disciplinary Committee has been constituted to look into the matter.
Hussain said that he has been in-charge of the College just for a week and is not aware about the past situations between these two batches but it does seem like a “Semester War”.
The Principal said that the meeting between the victims and accused (regarding the incident in which three 3rd sem students were beaten up by some 8th sem students) did take place, wherein parents/guardians of the two students (victims) negotiated but the third one didn’t. “As they have filed an FIR, obviously the matter will be looked up by the Police now,” he added.
The Principal assured that the institution will fully cooperate with the Police to help them conduct a proper investigation into the matter.
To know more about the matter, Kashmir News Bureau tried to hold a conversation with SHO, Police Station Soura but he dropped the call several times. (KNB)