'Didn’t Say Pakistan Zindabad': Harassed Kashmiri Girls Lock Themselves Up in Dehradun Hostel

New Delhi: As local goons gathered outside one of Dehradun’s best girls’ hostels and demanded an apology from Kashimiri girls for allegedly shouting “Pakistan zindabad”, the students locked themselves up in their rooms.

When the students contacted the administration of Dolphin Institute, they were asked to seek help from the hostel management. Then they called the Dehradun Police.

One of the Kashmiri students, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, said, “We are feeling scared here. There are local goons surrounding us and demanding an apology from us for shouting “Pakistan Zindabad”. This is an absolute lie. We didn’t say anything like this. Kashmiri students are being harassed.”

She added, “The goons want us to apologise in front of the media for the slogans. When we contacted the head of our institute, she asked us to get in touch with the hostel management. The police has given us protection.”

This came a day after 12 Kashmiri students were attacked by members of right wing outfits in the city and asked to “leave the city within 24 hours.”

Following the recent terror attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama district in which at least 40 CRPF troopers were killed after a local youth rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into their bus, Kashmiri students are reportedly facing harassment in several places across the country.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack.

Dehradun SP Shweta Chaubey said, “Things are under control. I have met the girls and given them my number to contact me if something goes wrong. The girls are safe.”

A day ago, the Aligarh Muslim University suspended another student from the Valley, Basim Hilal, for his Twitter post over the Pulwama attack. Hilal is a student of mathematics.

The Aligarh police has registered an FIR against Hilal and booked under Section 153A of the IPC and Section 67A of the IT Act.

Aligarh SSP Akash Kulhary said, “A case has been filed against Hilal under relevant sections for his post on social media.”

Another Kashmiri student, Kaishar Rashid, pursuing diploma in paramedical studies from Ras Bihari Bose Subharti University, Dehradun, has been suspended over his WhatsApp chat that went viral.