Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani called newly sworn-in Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba on Wednesday to take stock of the situation at the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, where unrest has been growing in the last week. Irani said that Mufti has assured her of the safety of the students, reported ANI, after at least four students were injured on Tuesday in a lathi-charge at the university's gates following protests. The protesters were outstation students who said they wanted to go back home in light of the violent clashes that broke out with local students on Friday after the Indian cricket team lost in the World Twenty20 semifinals. Two companies of the Central Reserve Police Force were called in to help control the situation.

The Human Resource Development Ministry also sent a two-member fact-finding team to the institute. The two-member team will be there till April 11. This was after the police said that the student agitators were holding placards and banners, and attempting to leave the campus. According to The Indian Express, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Hazratbal Sajad Bukhari said, “We tried to stop them from moving out of the campus for their own safety…When they didn’t relent, we cane-charged the students to disperse them.”

The situation escalated to the point that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier wrote to Mufti, who assured him that action would be taken. The HRD Ministry also got involved, saying they were in touch with the director of the institute. The protesting students had approached the director asking that the HRD ministry ensure that there is enough security for them on campus.

NIT authorities shut down the institute for five days after the clashes broke out when a group of Kashmiri students allegedly celebrated West Indies’ victory over India.