The situation at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) campus in Srinagar remained tensed on Thursday with heavy police and CRPF deployment on campus after a fracas between local and outstation students over a cricket match last week escalated into a major issue.
The controversy started after the alleged celebration of India’s loss in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup against West Indies. As it often happens, many Kashmiris celebrated India’s defeat late on Thursday night. Non-local students were angry with locals cheering Andre Russell’s winning runs against India in Mumbai.
A clash apparently broke out, and multiple reports indicated that non-Kashmiri students attacked Kashmiri students and a local courier delivery boy. But when Hindustan Times asked the non-Kashmiri students about the incident, they denied the allegations.
The protesting non-Kashmiri students told HT they are expecting the arrival of deputy chief minister of the state Nirmal Singh, but there was no official announcement or confirmation of the same.
Sources in the BJP said Singh is already in Srinagar and will visit the campus sometime during the day.
The registrar of NIT FA Mir, however, told HT that the situation in the campus is normal.
{{/usCountry}}The registrar of NIT FA Mir, however, told HT that the situation in the campus is normal.
{{/usCountry}}“Classes have begun. Many of the protesting students have also joined classes,” registrar of NIT FA Mir told HT.
The registrar could not confirm the news of Singh’s visit.
The students had on Wednesday met a team from Union ministry human resource development and put forward their complaints and demands which included shifting of the NIT out of Valley and also action against policemen involved in the alleged brutal crackdown.
If Singh visits the institute on Thursday, the students would hear his take on the situation and also reiterate their complaints and demands.
On Wednesday, Singh had taken back his comment that Tuesday’s clashes between students and policemen had included a “mild lathi charge”. He had said he was misinformed.