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As phone lines fall silent, Kashmiri students in Chandigarh on the edge
A curfew and a total communication blackout are in place in Kashmir with the government on Monday proposing to revoke Article 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Even as tricity police officials said the safety of 6,000-plus students from Kashmir Valley studying here will be prioritised and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh banned celebrations and protests fearing unrest, young Kashmiris desperately waited for word from home after the Valley, stripped of its special status on Monday by the Centre, fell silent following suspension all communications from there .
Some students running out of money and unable to get it from home and others planning trips back for Eid on August 12 don’t know what to do.
It has been around 18 hours since 24-year-old Falah Noor, an MTech student at the Chandigarh Group of Colleges (CGC) Landran, in Mohali, talked to her family. “I spoke to them at around 10 pm last night and since then I don’t have any contact with them. They must be worried about my brother and I as both of us are studying here,” she adds.
With air tickets to Srinagar booked for August 10 to celebrate Eid with her family, Noor is confused as she does not know if she’ll able to reach home as curfew-like restrictions were imposed in parts of the Valley.
Faizan Bukhari, a BTech student of the college, who has been surfing Facebook and Twitter the entire night has been unable to get any updates. He too wants to go home. “The government has been making special arrangements for the Amarnath yatris and tourists in Srinagar to take them safely out of the Valley. Can’t they help Kashmiri students go back home?” he asks.
Afshana Mir, studying to be a medical lab technician at Chandigarh University, Gharuan, says many students were running out of cash as their parents are unable to send money to them. “Even the banks are cash-starved in the Valley,” she says.
Bismillah Manzoor, a student of Maharishi Markandeshwar University (MMU), Mullana, refers to the tense situation here during the Pulwama attack and said says he doesn’t want a repeat.
To allay their fears, Kuldeep Singh Chahal, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Mohali, says the police are on alert. “All officials have been asked to ensure the security of Kashmiri students and take the necessary steps to make them feel safe here.”
Officials have been asked to carry out patrolling and set up nakas in their respective areas. Mohali colleges have been instructed to avoid the gathering of students inside and outside the campuses. “They have been instructed to ensure that no religious sentiments are hurt whether Kashmiri or a non-Kashmiri,” says Chahal.
Looking at the prevailing situation, “all the leaves of the police officials have been cancelled,” he adds.
The home affairs ministry through an advisory on Monday also asked police chiefs of all states to ensure the safety and security of Kashmiri residents, especially students.
The Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh has also banned celebrations and protests that could lead to unrest.
There are around 6,000 Kashmiri students studying in three universities and 26 educational institutes in Mohali district. About 300 study in various colleges and in Panjab University in Chandigarh.
Omvir Singh Bishnoi, UT deputy inspector general of police (DIG) on Monday, has assured students he met that security will be provided to them. He has also given them multiple helpline numbers in case of problems or emergency.
Meanwhile, in Panchkula, Saurabh Singh, commissioner of police, adds that the police staff is on alert. “It is our duty to provide security to each and every citizen living here and that also includes Kashmiri students. Necessary directions have already been given to all station house officers concerned and assistant commissioners of police to keep a check in their respective areas.”
As per information, most of the Kashmiri students are living and studying in Barwala and Raipur Rani areas of the district.
