Srinagar: Police has registered two FIRs regarding violent incidents that led to unrest in NIT Srinagar under sections 148, 149, 188, 336, 427, 353, 188. The FIRs pertaining to vandalism, damage to public property and obstructing a public servant from discharging duties have been lodged in Nigeen police station.
The first FIR was registered against unknown persons for the clashes between outstation and local students on April 1, a day after India lost to West Indies in the semi-final of the World T20 Cup.
In the second FIR registered on April 5, the police, besides slapping the charges of the previous FIR, has added sections 353 (assault on public servant) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant).
While no one has been named in the two FIRs yet, the official said police is investigating the video evidence of the violence that took place on the days of incidents.
Police also released video clippings showing non-local students attacking the cops with stones and damaging property at the campus.
The video, shot on Tuesday when trouble restarted in the campus, shows a large number of non-local students protesting against the NIT administration and trying to march towards the main gate of the campus.
The students, some of them masked, are seen carrying iron rods and stones. Some of the students threw stones at Jammu and Kashmir Police and many buildings of the campus resulting in damage to many window panes.
They are also seen vandalizing the property at the campus, including damaging a private car of an administrative official.
The security forces then resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesting students.
Meanwhile, a group of non-local girl students today said their fight was against the administration and the issue should not be given a political or religious colour.
"Our issue was not to incite the tempers. We all want justice. We are just fighting against our administration and we are not fighting on religious issues. So please don't make it a religious issue," said a girl student at the NIT in a video message.
"We neither want a temple to be built here nor do we want to demolish a mosque. We only want justice on what happened to our friends and don't make it a political or religious issue," said another girl said in the video.
They said the non-local students were not against the local students but wanted justice for their friends who, they alleged, were beaten by the police on Tuesday.
"They (the administration) is saying (that) the situation is normal. Only 10 per cent of the students are going to the classes and 90 per cent are boycotting. Is this situation called normal? We are not against the locals, we are really not against them.
"All we want is the justice for our friends who were brutally beaten by the police," the girl said.
Meanwhile, the college administration has asked students, who are willing to return home, to prepare a list with names of their father and contact no.
Administration will allow the students back home after consulting their parents.
The students will be given another chance for scheduled exams from April 11, once they come back.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered an enquiry by Nazir Ahmad Baba, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar into the clashes inside the NIT campus.
Nazir Ahmad has been asked to submit his report to the state government within 15 days.
We have instituted an enquiry and within 15 days report will be submitted. Additional magistrate Srinagar district will monitor the enquiry and will submit report within 15 days,” Deputy CM Nirmal Singh, whose schedule visit to the institute was cancelled following security reasons, told media.
Nazir Ahmad will also probe the charges of lathicharge on outstation students, he added.
Meanwhile, Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani is schedule to visit the institute today to take first hand information of the situation. Yesterday, she had assured that the safety of the students at the NIT was her prime concern and that Ministry officials will remain in the varsity campus to ensure that all of their issues are looked into.
"Law and order is a state subject. I have spoken to Mehbooba Mufti, she has assured me that students are safe there and that a division level inquiry has been initiated. Some students are worried about their marks sheets. HRD officials are in the campus and they have spoke to over 500 students," she said.
"(We) will not let any injustice happen to students. Our officials are there to extends all possible help to students, they will stay there the exams are over," she added.
