Kashmiri Student Attacked in Sharda University Missing since October 28

Ahtisham Bilal, a 23 year-old from Kashmir and a first year student of medical imaging technology at Greater Noida’s Sharda University, has gone missing since October 28.  Earlier, on October 4, Ahtisham was beaten by a group of students in the University premises. 

Soon after he went missing, university authorities filed a missing report at the Knowledge Park Police Station while his father Bilal Sofi filed a separate complaint at the local police station of Khanyar, Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. 

According to the university authorities, Ahtisham had gone to visit his relative in Delhi. However, his father while speaking with NewsClick said that they don’t have any relative in Delhi. He said that he had last spoken to Ahtisham around 4:30 PM on October 28, when his son informed him that he had come to Delhi for a day trip and will go back in a while. Since then, his phone has been switched off. 

Reason for Attack

Ahtisham’s cousin who is also his hostel roommate told NewsClick that there was some issue between Indian and Afghani students in the campus. When the authorities did not take any action against Afghani students, local students mostly from the Hindu community tried to make it a political issue and raised slogans like “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. They also thrashed every one (male and female) who had a long beard and were wearing Hijab. 

Also read: Sharda University: Kashmiri Student Thrashed After Being Mistaken as Afghan National

He further said, “Some of those students came to Ahtisham and asked him not to file a complaint against them as they will be suspended from the college, to which he agreed.” 

Several Kashmiri students also informed Newsclick that they received calls from unknown numbers threatening them that “they will be beaten if they come out of the campus”, which created chaos among the students. Following this, the university authorities took charge and resolved the issue. 

J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik speaking on NDTV on October 14 had said that they will designate  liaison officers who would serve as point of contact for the students to get their concerns presented and addressed. 

However, students from several universities said that there were no officers deployed yet in their universities. 

Increasing Attacks on Kashmiri Students outside J&K

In September this year, another incident was reported from Adesh Institute of Technology and Management in Mohali, Punjab, in which a student named Masroor Ahmed, a resident of Adigam Kokarnag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was attacked by some unknown people with sharp weapons which caused multiple injuries on his chest. Mansoor had gone out to get some water when he was attacked. 

Mansooor’s parents told NewsClick that they had sent their ward to study out of J&K to keep him away from the problems there, but the increasing attacks on Kashmiri students indicate that they aren’t safe anywhere in India. They further said that the government and institutes must ensure the security of the students who are studying outside J&K. 

On April 19, 2017, eight students were attacked by unknown people in Rajasthan’s Mewar University.  As per reports, the attack was attributed to the situation in Kashmir. One of the students informed NewsClick that the attackers were shouting, “maro en desh drohiyunko” (Beat these anti-nationals). 

Two days after the attack, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had issued a statement mentioning the incident in which Kashmiri students in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh were being threatened after incidents of stone pelting and assault on security personnel by youths in the Valley. He had said, "I appeal to all states, they should ensure the safety of all Kashmiris anywhere in the country. They are also equal citizens of India.”

On July 1, 2017, two months after the Home Minister’s statement, another Kashmiri student, Anees Khan of Chaudhary Charan Singh University in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, was attacked by some unknown people when he went to the market to buy some food. 

While Anees was returning to his hostel,  he was stopped by some masked men who asked about his name and residence, and on learning about his Kashmiri identity started beating him ruthlessly. 

Next day after the incident, a hoarding had come up near the university which said “Kashmiriyun Uttar Pradesh Chodo Warna…(All Kashmiris must leave Uttar Pradesh, otherwise...)

Anees said that he left the university after that incident as there was no security for him inside or outside the college. 

“Whenever people come to know that we are from Kashmir they ask if we have used AK47 rifle. This because they think all Kashmiris are militants and are anti-Indian, but that is not true,” Anees added.