Two J&K students beaten up in Haryana
Mehbooba Mufti (Express photo/File) Mehbooba Mufti (Express photo/File)
Two Jammu and Kashmir students studying in a Haryana university were assaulted by a group of unknown people at Mahendragarh in Haryana as they were coming out of a mosque after offering their Friday prayers.
The Jammu & Kashmir government has demanded a strong action into the incident, with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti saying she was “shocked & disturbed” by the incident.
The students have been identified as Aftab Ahmad (23) and Amjad Ali (22), both pursuing MSc (geography) from Central University of Haryana in Mahendragarh district. Both are residents of Rajouri in Jammu region and study in the same class.
Aftab told The Indian Express over phone that a group of at least 10 people started following them soon after they came out of a mosque in Mahendragarh.
“They started beating us for no reason. I was lying on the ground and don’t know what happened… the police also reached the spot after the locals called them. They (police) dropped us in the hospital and left,” Aftab said, adding he was wearing a salwar kameez.
He said both of them had sustained injuries on face, legs and other parts of the body.
The mosque is located in the main market of Mahendragarh, which, according to the students, is around nine kilometres away from the university. The two said they were travelling on a motorcycle and were followed by the attackers for about one kilometre on four-five motorcycles.
One of the students from the university, also from Jammu and Kashmir, said the university was located in a deserted area, far away from the main market and town.
“If any student needs anything, he has to travel all the way to the main market,” he said.
There are over 50 students from the state studying at the university. Aftab and Amjad were discharged from the hospital in the evening and were brought back to the university.
“We approached the university authorities regarding the matter and they said the incident didn’t happen inside the campus… the local Station House Officer (SHO) also arrived in the university and we have now submitted a police compliant as well,” Aftab said.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted about the incident late Friday night.
“Shocked & disturbed to hear reports of Kashmiri students being assaulted in Mahendargarh, Haryana. I urge the authorities to investigate & take strict action. @mlkhattar,” Mufti tweeted and tagged Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar.
Peoples Democratic Party’s youth wing president Waheed ur Rehman Para told The Indian Express Friday evening that Jammu and Kashmir government was in touch with the authorities concerned and would ensure safety of all the students in the university.
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