No let-up in protests, students throw stones at CRPF camp

Srinagar, April 29

There has been no let-up in student protests in Srinagar since the Pulwama college incident on April 15. Scores of students of Kashmir Government Polytechnic this afternoon clashed with police and CRPF personnel in the Gogji Bagh locality of the city. A staffer of the college was injured in the clashes.

The clashes started when students of the institution attacked a nearby camp of the 55 Battalion of the CRPF with stones in the Gogji Bagh locality.

“Students marched to a nearby CRPF camp and started throwing stones at it. The CRPF men acted with restraint and the situation was brought under control. A staffer of the college was injured when he was hit by a stone,” said the SHO, Rajbagh police station, Ghulam Mohiuddin.

Students of the college, however, said they were holding a peaceful protest, alleging that security personnel thrashed them without a reason.

“Security personnel damaged the vehicles parked near the college and also thrashed students without any reason,” said a student from the college.

The student protests began in the Valley on April 17, two days after 50 students of Degree College, Pulwama, were injured in a clash with security men over setting up of a checkpoint outside the college. The clashes spread across Kashmir, especially Srinagar, where colleges remained shut for nearly a week.

Meanwhile, officials said the school timings for the government and recognised private schools within the municipal limits of Srinagar shall be from 8 am to 2 pm and for the schools outside the municipal limits, the timings shall be from 9 am to 3 pm from May 1. — TNS