Kashmiri students arrive in Mohali, recall trauma

MOHALI:Fearing a backlash and wrath from locals over the Pulwama attack, over 125 Kashmiri students studying in colleges and universities in Mullana and Dehradun have evacuated their hostels and rented accommodations adhering to the 24-hour deadline given to them by sarpanches and local residents of the area.

Amarjot Kaur

Tribune News Service

Mohali, February 17

Fearing a backlash and wrath from locals over the Pulwama attack, over 125 Kashmiri students studying in colleges and universities in Mullana and Dehradun have evacuated their hostels and rented accommodations adhering to the 24-hour deadline given to them by sarpanches and local residents of the area.

Aided by J&K Student Organisation (JKSO), more than 70 students, who arrived from Dehradun and Mullana on Friday, had sought temporary refuge at an undisclosed location in Mohali before some of them set off for Kashmir today. More students, approximately 35, including girls, arrived at the location tonight.

A few hours after the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, announced today that the state would look after the safety of Kashmiri students, local DSP (City 1) Amroz Singh rang up the authorities of the JKSO, asking them to stop more students from coming to Mohali. “We have been hosting students from Mullana and Dehradun at this three-bedroom accommodation and most of them are traumatised. We got a call from the local DSP and he asked us to refrain from having more people come to the city. Asking us to make arrangements for students at any other city, be it Delhi or Leh, he said no more than 100 students should be allowed to seek refuge at this place due to security reasons and the volatile situation,” said one of the students on condition of anonymity.

Besides, students claim that they have not been given any security. Students shared that they had vacated their hostels and PG accommodation in a rush. While the JKSO got in touch with most students, there were others who had contacted the student organisation for safe accommodation.

A student from Dehradun recollected, “Processions and agitation marches were carried out right outside our houses and people raised slogans against Kashmiris. Some of them came banging on our doors and 12 cases of Kashmiri students being beaten up have apparently been reported from Dehradun. Some shopkeepers have even put up posters using objectionable words against Kashmiris.

Our landlords were also asked to have us removed from their houses. Fearing, we left the city and the local police accommodated our evacuation.”

SSP HS Bhullar said, “We will follow the orders of the Chief Minister and make sure that the Kashmiri students are safe here. Our patrolling teams are also doing the rounds of places where these students are staying.”

Former SGPC member Amarinder Singh, who had arrived at the location, said arrangements for food and billeting students would be made at Gurdwara Singh Shaheedan, Sohana. “We can make provision for 100 students at the gurdwara. Their food and stay will be taken care of here,” he said.