Student anger and rage is back on the streets of Kashmir. Pertinently last year too Kashmir had witnessed massive student protests as aftermath of the harsh force unleashed on Pulwama Government Degree college students by Government forces on 16 April triggered widespread protests.
The unprecedented lava that had taken it's space in the hearts and minds of Kashmiri Students has erupted once again with a bang .Protests carried out throughout the length and breadth of valley bear testimony to this fact. In the backdrop of bloodbath in South Kashmir on Sunday these protests are seen as reaction.
The unrest revisited colleges and universities today in Kashmir as the life in valley limped back to normalcy after four days post huge number of deaths in South Kashmir encounterson Sunday. From Handwara to Srinagar colleges erupted with heavy protests and even the city centre Lalchowk witnessed angry students protests. The students marched up to Regal Chowk area of the civil lines, and raising pro-freedom slogans resulting in tension all around in the Srinagar business hub. The situation turned ugly at many places.
The students of Amar Singh College on Thursday torched a police picket near Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Stadium in Srinagar on Thursday. Reports said some protesting students reached near the stadium and set ablaze the picket. No policeman was present there when the incident took place. Paramilitary CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav confirmed the incident and said the torched picket belonged to J&K police which was ‘torched by some angry protesters. Reports said that dozens of students assembled at the Bemina Degree College and tried to take out a protest rally against the recent killings in south Kashmir districts.
Similarly, the students of Amar Singh College in summer capital Srinagar took out a protest demonstration outside the college premises. However, police swung into action and tried to chase away the protesting students. Also, the students of Islamia College of Science and Commerce at Hawal also tried to take out a protest rally. However, forces personnel fired tear gas to disperse the protesting students. Students at Central University of Kashmir (CUK) also held protests against the civilian and militant killings in south Kashmir. Students held protests inside the premises in which large number of students of various departments participated.
On the otherhand, the students of Kashmir University also on Thursday held protests against the killings of militants and civilians in Shopian . The inmates of boys’ hostels marched through various departments holding placards to protest the killings. They raised anti-India and pro-freedom slogans. Massive clashes also erupted between the students of Government Degree Handwara and the government forces on Thursday in view of civilian and militant killings in south Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the University of Kashmir and Central University also witnessed massive protests. Many voices are questioning that whether the decision of opening colleges was taken too soon as Kashmir is still reeling from the pain of Killings and bloodbath witnessed in South Kashmir on Sunday.