SRINAGAR: The situation at the Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology campus in Amritsar has eased after several days of tension following a violent clash between Kashmiri and Bihari students earlier this week, with police and district authorities on Saturday asserting that normalcy had returned and warning against the spread of “false narratives” on social media.
Senior civil and police officials visited the campus on Saturday amid concerns generated by viral videos and competing claims surrounding the incident that occurred on Wednesday night at the college hostel.
According to reports published by Hindustan Times and The Tribune, the clash began inside the boys’ hostel mess after an argument reportedly broke out over language. Eyewitnesses quoted by The Tribune said some students from Bihar were conversing in Bhojpuri when objections were allegedly raised by another group of students from Kashmir, triggering a verbal confrontation that later turned violent.
Within minutes, students from both groups physically confronted each other, leading to a fierce fight on campus. The incident created panic inside the hostel premises and left several students injured.
While Hindustan Times reported that three students sustained minor injuries, The Tribune said nearly half a dozen students were hurt in the scuffle and were taken to different hospitals for treatment.
Police teams rushed to the campus after receiving information about the violence and brought the situation under control. Security arrangements on the campus were also tightened in the aftermath of the clash.
Although the dispute initially appeared to have been resolved after intervention by security staff, faculty members and the college administration, tensions reportedly escalated again after some Bihari students alleged that a faculty member had slapped one of the students during the aftermath of the confrontation.
Videos related to the incident circulated widely on social media over the past two days. Some clips showed students identified as being from Bihar raising slogans outside hostel rooms occupied by Kashmiri students, while other videos carried allegations of regional discrimination, stereotyping and institutional bias.
According to The Tribune, the online narratives surrounding the clash transformed what was initially a campus altercation into a broader debate over anti-migrant sentiment and regional prejudice. While some videos portrayed Kashmiri students as “victims”, others featured Bihari students alleging discrimination and unequal treatment by the institution.
Responding to the controversy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigation) Jagjit Singh Walia visited the campus on Saturday and issued a public appeal asking people not to believe rumours being circulated online.
“The atmosphere in the college is calm and peaceful. Studies are going on without any disruption. There is no tension in the college now,” Walia said in a video statement quoted by Hindustan Times.
In another statement carried by The Tribune, Walia said several “false narratives” were being spread on social media regarding the incident and warned that strict action would be taken against those circulating unverified information intended to mislead the public.
Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh also visited the college on Saturday and interacted with students from both groups in an effort to defuse lingering tensions and restore confidence on the campus.
Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna, secretary of the Khalsa College Governing Council, which runs the institution, told The Tribune that the matter had been resolved and that students were satisfied following the intervention of the administration and police officials.
The college administration maintained that the incident was being “given a wrong colour”. Director-Principal Manju Bala told Hindustan Times that the administration, along with the police, was trying to ensure peace ahead of examinations.
“We want peace also because examinations are coming and we don’t want any student to suffer any loss,” she said, adding that “some outsiders” appeared to be trying to instigate the situation.
Bala also told The Tribune that all students involved in the violence had been expelled from the hostel for six months, although they would still be permitted to appear in examinations. She further said the college had recommended action against the faculty member after complaints from Bihari students.
Meanwhile, police officials said statements of all parties involved had been recorded and CCTV footage from across the campus was being examined to establish the exact sequence of events and identify those responsible for the violence.
Inspector Robin Hans, SHO of Ranjit Avenue police station, said the dispute between the student groups had initially been resolved but later escalated over allegations against a faculty member.
“Appropriate action will be taken regarding the complaint lodged by Bihari students against the faculty member under investigation,” he was quoted as saying by The Tribune.
No FIR had been registered in the case till Saturday evening, though police said the investigation into the incident was continuing.
