Clashes in four colleges over Shopian killings

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 5

Violent clashes erupted in some educational institutions in the Valley on Thursday as students protested the recent killings in south Kashmir.

The protests erupted at Degree College, Bemina, Amar Singh College, Srinagar, Government College for Women, MA Road, Degree College, Handwara, University of Kashmir and the Central University of Kashmir.

An official said eight students were injured in clashes and were being treated at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital here. A police officer was also injured in clashes in the Lal Chowk area, the official said.

The educational institutions across the Valley reopened on Thursday after remaining closed for four days following clashes to protest the Shopian killings. Though most of the schools and colleges functioned smoothly on Thursday, institutes located in the heart of the city witnessed chaos.

At Amar Singh College in Srinagar, students clashed with security forces personnel, triggering a spontaneous shutdown in the areas around it. Protesting students also burnt a police picket outside the college. As the situation spiralled out of control, a large number of security forces personnel were rushed to the spot to contain the protests.

Hundreds of students at the University of Kashmir boycotted their classes and took out a protest rally on the campus against the recent killings. The students raised slogans and carried placards against the use of force against civilians.

A police officer said the students were prevented from coming out of the campus to prevent violence.

Meanwhile, to keep the schools open in the Valley has become a challenge for the government due to the frequent student protests since last year. The frequent closure of schools by the government in the Valley is causing academic losses to lakhs of students. An official said some educational institutes might be closed on Friday to prevent law and order problems. He said most of the educational institutions functioned smoothly on Thursday. The educational institutions in south Kashmir’s Shopian district continue to remain shut and are scheduled to reopen on Monday as the authorities fear more protests. This month, the educational institutions opened for the first time on Thursday.