Student protests continue in Valley; 27 hurt in Handwara

Rifat Mohidin

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 6

A total of 27 students were hurt in the massive clashes that rocked Handwara and Pulwama today as the student demonstrations continued for the third week in the Valley.

The Superintendent of Police, Handwara, said:“The students of Degree College, Handwara, took out a protest rally on the main road and started throwing stones on vehicles and police personnel, which resulted in clashes. The situation was brought under control.”

The principal of Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Handwara, said due to the massive teargas shelling outside the school around 50 girls fell unconscious and were admitted to hospital.

“Our students were inside the school, which is half a kilometre away from Degree College, but the teargas smoke spread inside the school where 1,500 girls were there. Due to the intense shelling around 50 students collapsed on the ground. We admitted them to a hospital as a precautionary measure,” the principal said, adding that most of the students were discharged after treatment.

Students of Degree College alleged that they were protesting peacefully but the police started throwing teargas shells on them without any reason in which many of them were injured. The students said many girls fainted on the spot due to inhaling of smoke.

Chief Medical Officer, Handwara, Dr Khan said 27 injured students were treated after clashes and most of them had minor injuries.

“One girl had a head injury, but after CT scan she was declared stable. The students were discharged after treatment,” the doctor said.

The clashes also erupted in south Kashmir’s Newa Pulwama when the students of Higher Secondary School threw stones at a nearby Army camp.

“The minor clashes happened today when the students threw stones at an Army camp but due to the presence of teachers and police the protesters were immediately pacified,” said Superintendent of Police, Pulwama, Mohammad Rayees Bhat.