Screenshot from the viral video, where students can be seen carrying swords (India Today)
On the night of August 26, tensions gripped the Chhitorgarh town of Rajasthan, as clashes broke out in the Mewar University. In the said violence, stones were pelted, students raised ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ slogans and much more. Citing the situation getting out of control, the Rajasthan police detained as many as 36 students the same night. The situation is under control, however, the video of the attack is making rounds on the internet.
What led to the attack?
According to police, during the dinner at the hostel mess, a local student had a heated argument with a few Kashmiri students following which other students also joined both sides, turning it into a fierce battle.
The Chittorgarh Superintendent of Police (SP) Rajan Dushyant said, “The students later pelted stones at each other which caused injuries on both sides. Krishna was also hit by a piece of glass. Police immediately rushed to the spot and detained 36 of both sides.”
A purported video of the incident doing rounds on social media showed that a bunch of students were roaming around the campus carrying swords. Another such video also showed a massive group of agitated mob entering the campus. The video of students raising ‘Allah Hu Akhbar’ slogans also went viral from the college campus.
The SP said, “It is yet not confirmed how Krishna was hit with a glass piece. Further investigation is underway. We have deployed an additional police force at the university campus to ensure peace.”
The police action
The police have detained as many as 36 students. “During the incident, around six to seven people from both sides sustained injuries- of which two students Ayush Sharma (20) and Krishna Pal Sharma (21) were admitted to the local district hospital. Krishna was later shifted to Udaipur for better treatment considering the seriousness of his injury. However, all of them were discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning,” said Roop Singh, the station house officer (SHO) of the local Gangrar police station.
The detained were booked under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CRPC), said police.
What said the Hindu activists?
Following the incident, a group of members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (BVHP), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and Bajrang Dal gathered outside the university at night and started sloganeering against the Kashmiri students at the university.
Levelling allegations against the university for not taking any action against the Kashmiri students, former district in charge of the Bajrang Dal, Mukesh Nahata said, “It was the fifth such incident of clash in the university with the Kashmiri students. No proper action has ever been taken by the university administration against them so far. How did they get weapons inside an educational institution? We want strict action against the culprits.”
What said the Kashmiri student?
A 22-year-old Kashmiri student from the university said, “It was just a small argument between two students over the issue of food and it got sorted after the warden intervened. But later, around four hundred people came and started calling slogans against Kashmiris and also pelted stones. Later Kashmiri students also started sloganeering.”
However, denying the statement, a 20-year-old local student said, “The matter started after around 4-5 Kashmiri students assaulted a local student Ayush after having a heated argument with him. Later, Kashmiri students went towards the Basketball court and started pelting the stones first.”
What said the university administration?
The director of Mewar University, Harish Gurnani said, “The issue is unnecessarily given a geographical colour. The incident is more like a fight between some seniors and juniors which is very usual on the university campus. When the seniors broke the line for dinner at the mess, the juniors got furious which unfortunately turned into a matter of Kashmiri students and local students due to the impulsiveness of both sides.”
He said that there are students from around 29 states on the Mewar University campus, of which around 400 belong to Jammu and Kashmir. “The students always maintain harmony on the campus. It was a petty issue. Peace is restored at the university,” he said.
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