Centre says NIT Srinagar is back to normal after students clash over India's exit in T20 World Cup
The violence was sparked after local students burst crackers on Thursday night celebrating the Indian team's loss in the World Twenty20 semifinal.
The Human Resource Development ministry said on Saturday that normalcy has been restored at the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, after clashes erupted between students over India's defeat to West Indies in the semifinal of the World Twenty20 cricket tournament. The HRD ministry released a statement in which the director of NIT Srinagar, Rajat Gupta, reassured the students, faculty and parents that the "temporary situation arising out of tensions from disappointment at the outcome of the cricket match on 31st March had been overcome", reported PTI. The situation on the campus and at the hostels was normal, and academic activities would continue on Monday, the statement said.
This comes a day after authorities had to shut down the institute until further notice, after two groups of students – one from Kashmir and the other from outside the state – clashed against each other, reported The Times of India. The violence was sparked after local students burst crackers on Thursday night after India's defeat. One student told The Indian Express, "After India lost, many local students raised anti-India slogans and even tried to thrash students from other states who were watching the match in their hostel rooms. Even on Friday, a group of students assembled on the campus and raised anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans. Many outsiders also joined the protests."
However, local students said the violence was started by students from other states on Friday. One local student said that when Kashmiris studying at NIT were returning from Friday prayers, a crowd of students waving the Indian flag and chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai" and anti-Pakistan slogans approached them. "Some of them also indulged in violence, which led to a fight breaking out," the student said.
The registar of NIT Srinagar, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, confirmed that clashes had erupted, but denied reports that any student had been injured. "The supporters of two teams had a tiff over the cricket match. Nobody was injured and the situation is under control," he said. Sub-Divisional Police Officer Hazratbal Sajjad Bukhari said, "Students from both sides pelted each other with stones. We used mild lathicharge and teargas to control the situation."