A group of students allegedly thrashed four fellow students from Jammu and Kashmir at a private university at Gangrar in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan late on Friday, sparking off tension on the campus.
One of the injured students, Tahir Majeed, was admitted to Sanwaliyaji Government Hospital in Chittorgarh.
The clash occurred at Mewar University, when the two groups had an altercation over gate passes. The Kashmiri students alleged that the students from Bihar insulted them and attacked with knives and iron rods.
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Bilal Ahmad, Mohammed Ali and Ishfaq Ahmad Qureshi sustained minor injuries. The university’s dean and proctor rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
The police have registered a First Information Report under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. Four accused were placed under preventive detention under Section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Nasir Khuehami, spokesperson of the J&K Students’ Association, demanded immediate steps for the security of Kashmiri students at the university and medical care of the injured. “Such incidents will increase the sense of insecurity and anxiety among Kashmiri students and their parents and relatives,” he said.
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The university’s admission coordinator, Amit Kumar, told The Hindu that “nothing serious” had happened, and the issue was sorted out.
Over 30 students from Jammu and Kashmir are enrolled at the university, and they had come under attack several times in the past. In 2017, some locals attacked Kashmiri students when they went to town to buy fruits and groceries. Four students were beaten up in 2016 over rumours of their cooking beef.