Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 19: Government today attached the Principal of Government Degree College Pulwama following the assault on students by security forces last week that evoked widespread students’ protests across Kashmir.
The Principal, Professor Abdul Hamid Sheikh, has been attached to Director Colleges till pending inquiry. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir will inquire into the incidents that led to protests and submit the report to the department within seven days.
The college has submitted the sequence of events that led to the assault of students which provoked student protests and clashes in which at least 54 students were injured on Saturday.
On third consecutive day, the students in several parts of Kashmir valley today protested against the recent police action on students during which they also clashed with police even as class work remained suspended in Valley educational institutes.
Scores of girl students staged protests at Maisuma and in Nawa Kadal areas of city here. The protesting female students were raising slogans against Government and expressed solidarity with their fellow students who faced alleged police wrath at Pulwama Degree College last week and also in other parts of the Valley this past Monday.
Hundreds of students of Bomai Higher Secondary School in North Kashmir’s Sopore area of Baramulla district today hit the streets and clashed with police. Police responded by firing teargas shells while students retaliated with stone-throwing. The clashes continued for several hours in the area.
The students of Delina Higher Secondary School in Baramulla also took to the streets and staged protests against the recent police action against students. The students assembled along Srinagar-Baramulla road and staged heavy protests. In order to disperse the protestors, police lobbed teargas shells but the agitating students responded by pelting stones.
Intense stone-pelting clashes erupted between students and police after former took to streets at Palhallan in Pattan area of Baramulla district. Several students were reported injured from the area. The protests were also staged by protests at Nadihal in Baramulla and in Qalamabad area of Handwara in Kupwara district.
Hundreds of students at Sumbal in Bandipora district also staged massive protests against Government and police today. In Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, the students in Kangan town also staged massive protests against recent student-police clash in Valley institutes.
According to the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, teaching work in all colleges of Kashmir division shall remain suspended on April 20 and 21 as a “precautionary measure”.
Meanwhile, the class work remained suspended in all varsities, colleges and higher secondary schools of Valley as tensions continue. The class work was suspended by Authorities as a “precautionary measure” on Monday this week after unprecedented student protests in length and breadth of Kashmir valley during which scores of students were injured in police action.
Meanwhile, separatists have resented police action against the students and appealed people to hold one-hour long protest to express solidarity with student community of the Valley.
Meanwhile, a civilian who was hit by a bullet during clashes in Barsoo area of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on April 9 – when Srinagar Parliamentary constituency went for by-polls – succumbed today in a hospital here.
Official sources said 25-year old Muzzafar Ahmad Mir of Zanglipora village of Kulgam district was hit by a security forces’ bullet at Barsoo during clashes and he was critically injured. The injured youth was shifted to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura where after remaining in ICU succumbed today at 3.00 am.
Soon after the news of Muzzafar’s death, who was a labourer by profession, spread in his ancestral village, several thousand people came out of their houses and staged protests. The protests grew strong soon after his body arrived. His funeral was held amid protests and he was laid to rest in a local cemetery. However, the situation didn’t aggravate during the funeral.
Meanwhile, police have rounded up at least 8 youth in Gagran village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district during night raids. Police sources said that the raids were conducted on the house of youth who were involved in stone-pelting incidents.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti this evening visited SMHS hospital Srinagar and enquired about the condition of Iqra, a student of B Com 1st Year of Nawa Kadal College, Srinagar who was injured during the student protests on Monday.
The Chief Minister directed the hospital administration to provide all advanced medical treatment to Iqra adding that if need be she can be shifted outside the state for treatment.
Wishing her a speedy recovery, Mebooba announced that the Government will take responsibility of educational needs of Iqra and her future job prospects.
The Chief Minister appealed the people to help restore peace and normalcy in the Valley to ensure smooth academic, economic and tourism activities. She said Kashmir already witnessed tragic human, educational and economic loss and it can’t afford be pushed into perpetual disempowerment and darkness.
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