Protests halt classes at NIT
Samaan Lateef
Srinagar, November 30
The classes in two colleges, including the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar, was halted on Thursday by authorities amid escalating protests sparked by an “objectionable” video, posted on social media by an engineering student. In an official order, the NIT announced the commencement of the winter vacation in the middle of the semester examination from November 30, instructing all hostel boarders to “vacate the hostels with immediate effect.”
DC warns against social media misuse
- Kupwara DC Ayushi Sudan has issued a stern warning, cautioning netizens in the frontier district against the misuse of social media platforms.
- It comes amid observation that certain entities exploit online platforms to disseminate propaganda from terrorist groups and separatists.
For the past three days, the NIT campus has been a battleground between students. The controversy erupted when an engineering student, facing charges for reportedly hurting religious sentiments, shared a video, leading to a tension on the campus. The accused student has been suspended by the institute.
Presently, around 3,000 students from various parts of the country are enrolled at the NIT, Srinagar. The protests spilled over to other campuses on Thursday, affecting Amar Singh College and the Islamia College of Science and Commerce in Srinagar. Students were seen raising pro-Islam slogans and demanding severe action against the accused student.
A notice issued on Thursday by the authorities at the Islamia College of Science and Commerce stated the suspension of all academic activities for the day. “Classwork of all semesters and internal examinations shall remain off tomorrow and will be rescheduled with effect from December 1, 2023,” affirmed the college principal.
