Panic has gripped Kashmiri students studying outside their home state in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, with right-wing outfits issuing threats, landlords asking for homes to be vacated, and locals demonising the Kashmiri Muslim community in various parts of the country.
Also read: Lashkar-e-Taiba and its terror infra intact in Pakistan | Pahalgam
In response to a post on one such incident on social media platform X, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote, “The J&K government is in touch with the governments of the states where these reports are originating from. I’m also in contact with my counterparts in these states and have requested they take extra care.”
Right-wing threat
On Wednesday evening, a purported video by a right-wing group, Hindu Raksha Dal, started doing the rounds of social media. In it, Lalit Sharma, the leader of the group, said, “Hindu Raksha Dal Uttarakhand has declared that if we see any Kashmiri Muslim in Dehradun from 10 am onwards, we will deal with them (unka ilaaj karenge). We cannot sit at home relying on the government… Kashmiri Muslims, you have time till 10 am to run away from here, otherwise we will take action.”
By night, the video went viral, creating anxiety among Kashmiri students across Uttarakhand. Some of them packed their bags and left for the airport in the dead of the night.
“There were 5-7 students of the Baba Farid Institute of Technology who got so scared that they left for the airport at 1.30 am. Some of us are here because students of pharmacy, lab technology and physiotherapy have to take their exams. They cannot leave. As of now, we are inside our college campus, because we feel safe here but we don’t know what to do after this,” a Kashmiri student from Doon (PG) College of Agriculture Science and Technology in Dehradun told The Federal.
DGP assures safety
Uttarakhand police said it had taken action and was actively engaged with Kashmiri students to help them. “Legal action is being taken against those who have posted the video, and those who are circulating it. A few people have been detained also,” Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth told The Federal.
“We have complete information regarding the areas and institutions in which students from J&K are studying. The police have stepped up security and patrolling there and they are in constant touch with the students and their institutes. The students are in direct touch with the nodal police officers. There is no anxiety among students as such,” he said.
The student from Doon (PG) College of Agriculture Science and Technology, however, said no local authority had contacted them. “We don’t even know if we should leave our campus and go back to our rooms. We have not been given any guidelines. So, we are camping here as of now,” he said.
Student body helpline
Anticipating that Kashmiri students would be vulnerable in the face of heightened hostilities, the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) issued a safety advisory on Wednesday, urging Kashmiri students to “stay indoors, avoid political debates, and refrain from sharing sensitive, provocative, or inflammatory content online amid the volatile situation”. It also activated helpline numbers for support and assistance.
Also read: Pahalgam terror attack: Father gone, Kerala survivor escaped through woods with twins
JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami told The Federal he was inundated with phone calls. “There are reports from all over the country, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. We are talking to the authorities and trying to ensure that they are safe and sound. I even spoke to the office of the Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and was assured that the matter would be taken up at the highest levels,” he said.
Targeted in Punjab
One such incident was reported from the Universal Group of Institutions, Dera Bassi, Chandigarh, where Kashmiri students were “brutally attacked inside the hostel premises during the night”, according to Khuehami.
“They said that some local individuals and students forcefully entered the hostel at midnight, targeting Kashmiri students with sharp weapons. Their clothes were torn, and at least one student sustained serious injuries. Shockingly, the college security remained passive during the entire episode, failing to intervene or protect the students. Even Punjab police did not provide timely protection or assistance, further emboldening the attackers and leaving students vulnerable and traumatised. Over 100 Kashmiri students are enrolled in this institution,” he said in a post on X.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav tweeted from his official X handle saying, “We have taken cognisance of a social media post by a student. Local police have been directed to initiate appropriate legal action as per law. Any attempt to incite hatred, or disturb communal harmony will not be tolerated. We appeal to all citizens to act responsibly on social media. Please refrain from sharing or amplifying content that spreads misinformation or fuels discord.”
Living in fear
Another Kashmiri student from Chandigarh shared a video in which she said the local people were calling them names and they were living in fear.
“We have been sitting hungry since last night because we can’t step out to buy anything. We can’t take a cab to the airport because we can’t trust the locals. A friend who took a cab last night was thrown out of it. We need help, so we can get back home,” she said in the video.
A Kashmiri student residing in Delhi’s Zakir Nagar said he had been asked by his landlord to vacate the house. Another student in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj said he was very scared and was heading back home this evening.
Mohsina, a freelance journalist and student in Delhi, told The Federal, “I am deeply concerned about the situation unfolding in Delhi and across India. Reports of attacks on Kashmiris are alarming and have left me anxious. We’ve heard of incidents in Delhi as well, though the details remain unclear. Many of us feel safe only in Muslim-majority areas. Our families are urging us to stay home and avoid venturing out, especially with anyone who isn’t Kashmiri.”
Rewind to 2019
For Kashmiri students, there is recurring anxiety, reminiscent of the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019.
Also read: Tourist exodus leaves Kashmiris panicking over livelihoods | Pahalgam attack
Over 1,000 Kashmiri students were enrolled in Uttarakhand, with about 700 in Dehradun alone, and many faced eviction threats after a student’s social media post mocking the attack stirred up protests. In Yavatmal, Maharashtra, 6 Kashmiri students were attacked by Yuva Sena activists on February 20. In Ambala, Haryana, around 300 students were kicked out of their rented homes when a village panchayat issued an ultimatum. At least 10 students were arrested and 24 suspended or expelled over alleged “anti-national” posts across the country.
The CRPF’s Madadgaar helpline got 60 to 70 calls from scared students and helped over 250 get back to Kashmir by February 19, arranging food and buses from Jammu. Sikh groups, especially Khalsa Aid, opened their doors in Mohali, Punjab, giving shelter and helping hundreds travel home safely.
The terror attack in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam took place on April 22 which claimed the lives of at least 26 people, mostly tourists, and injured over 20 others.