SRINAGAR: Hundreds of students and the faculty of Islamic University at Awantipora did not leave the campus till they managed the release of six students whom police had arrested in recent days. It was an interesting day for the campus as teachers, police and the faculty was working parallel on the issue.
Details revealed that police had a student from his home. As the fresh protests broke out to press the release of earlier one, the police made new arrests. This led to renewed protests and also had an element on brick-bating on police.
Clashes erupted between police and protesting students in the afternoon over the arrest of an engineering student from his home along with his father. Soon the police reached on the spot and fired several tear gas shells inside the campus triggering clashes which went on till late afternoon.
Around evening when the university closed for the day and the faculty started moving towards the vehicles, agitated students interrupted. They locked the university gates and continued protesting. Though there were a series of negotiations with the students including meeting with the VC and the Registrar, the students remained unrelenting. This delayed the departure of everybody.
Though a section of the students had alleged that the police had besieged them, the University officials said it was incorrect because the students themselves have closed the entire campus.
“All the officials and students are sitting inside buses and intending to leave but some students have blocked the road and not letting us move ahead,” University PRO told Kashmir Life on phone. “We do not know whether they are our students or boys from the locality as the arrested youth hail from the vicinity.”
Finally, the police came to the rescue of the university faculty. They released six students but one of them is still in custody.
“We are on way home finally,” one student said on phone. “But one student from south Kashmir is still in custody.”
