Tension in Rajouri university in Jammu and Kashmir; curfew on in Handwara

Pic Courtesy - ANI

Srinagar: After the row in NIT Srinagar, another university in Jammu and Kashmir is reported to be tense.

As per reports on Monday, clashes took place in Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Rajouri.

Authorities closed the university after a scuffle between a student belonging to Rajouri district and a student from Kashmir.

Several vehicles have also said to have been torched. Meanwhile, one of the eyewitness at BGSBU said, "There was heavy clash between two groups of local students and valley students, few are injured," ANI reported.

Police said there were no communal overtones to the scuffle, but policemen were deployed in the campus on Monday to instill confidence among the students and assist the varsity administration to start normal functioning.

Police have registered an FIR into the incident and investigations have started.

Another institute in J&K, NIT Srinagar was at the centre of a controversy when clashes broke out between outstation and local students following India's defeat to West Indies in the World Cup T20 semi-final.

The situation worsened on April 5 when outstation students tried to take out a march outside the campus but were stopped by the police, leading to incidents of violence including vandalism by students and lathicharge by police.

The students held protests against the police action, prompting the Union HRD ministry to send a team of officials to take defuse the situation.

On April 11, it was reported that with peace returning to NIT Srinagar, examinations were held at the institute as per the schedule but over 1000 outstation students skipped it, deciding to avail of the opportunity of taking the test later.

Meanwhile, life was normal in Srinagar and most other parts of the Kashmir Valley on today but curfew continued in Handwara town where it was reimposed after a short relaxation saw violence.

A senior police officer told IANS in Srinagar that authorities decided against any further relaxation in curfew that was re-imposed in Handwara town after clashes erupted again during the short relaxation period in the morning.

"The situation was reviewed in the afternoon and it was decided that no further relaxation would be given in curfew imposed in Handwara town on Monday," the officer said.

He said the situation would be reviewed on Tuesday morning and a decision taken on any relaxation in the trouble-torn town.

Curfew was imposed in Handwara town on Wednesday after three people were killed in firing by security forces after violent clashes with unruly mobs. Trouble had erupted following reports about the molestation of school girl by a soldier.

The girl was Sunday produced by the police before the chief judicial magistrate, Handwara along with her father, and in her statement before the CJM, denied that any molestation attempt had been made on her on last Tuesday.

During Monday's clashes in Handwara town, two protesters were injured and have been admitted to a local hospital in the town for treatment.

(With Agency inputs)