SRINAGAR:The University of Kashmir (KU) was shut on Friday and students evicted from its hostels in the wake of the unrest over the arrest of a student allegedly for opposing Yoga.
Police, however, said Muzamil Farooq, a third semester student of the varsity’s English Department, had been picked up for alleged links with militants. In fact, he had been arrested from Sadrabal in Hazratbal on Monday.
University authorities decided to close the varsity till Sunday as students refused to end protests and return to their classes.“We have decided to suspend classes on the campus till June 27,” a university spokesman said.
After closing the varsity, the authorities also asked the students, including girl students from the Valley, to vacate the hostels on the campus. And only students from Doda, Kishtwar and Jammu region were allowed to stay back.
Muzamil’s arrest had triggered massive protests at the varsity, with both the male and female students boycotting classes and staging demonstrations to press for his release. According to his batchmates,Muzamil, who is the topper of his class, was arrested on charges of leading a protest against Yoga in the University on June 21 International Yoga Day.
“There were also reports that he (Muzamil) was arrested by police after some application was found downloaded in his android phone,” they said. The students added that Muzamil had been framed for his open opposition to Yoga.
And the students had staged a massive protest on the campus on Thursday. The protest turned violent after the university’s security guards allegedly fired into the air and the police were called in to disperse the agitating students.
“Earlier in the morning(Friday), the officials visited the hostels and threw out our belongings, asking us to leave immediately,” a KU student said.
A group of girl students alleged that they were dropped off at Lal Chowk here and asked to “go wherever they want”.They staged a sit-in in front of the varsity entrance with their baggage.
A police spokesman denied that Muzamil had been arrested for opposing Yoga. “He has been arrested over his links with militants,” he said. “He was wanted in a case under FIR No. 90 of Rajbagh Police Station,” he said. The spokesman, however, did not elaborate when the FIR was registered.
Students are now demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor and Proctor of the University.
