Mumbai: Kashmiri students in different states of northern India say they have faced threats and violence since Tuesday’s militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 persons. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) told FPJ that eight incidents have been reported so far.
At Arni University in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, men broke hostel doors and called Kashmiri students ‘terrorists’, JKSA said. In Dehradun, Uttarakhand, a Hindu Raksha Dal video warned Kashmiri Muslims to leave the state by 10am on Thursday or they will be killed; many students left their rooms in fear.
In Derabassi, Punjab, attackers reportedly entered a hostel after midnight, tore students’ clothes and injured one with a sharp weapon. In Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, some landlords have told Kashmiri tenants to move out.
JKSA convenor Nasir Khuehami called the incidents a ‘targeted campaign of hate’ and asked state governments and Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi to ensure student safety. The association advised Kashmiri students to stay indoors, avoid political debate and limit social-media activity. Helpline numbers have been shared for those needing help. Dehradun police have increased patrols and removed 25 social-media posts that encouraged violence.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said he is pressing authorities to protect students. PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti called the attacks ‘collective punishment’ and urged the Union Home Ministry to act.
The Pahalgam attack killed 26 people and has heightened tensions across the country. JKSA warns that the situation remains tense and is urging quick action to prevent further incidents.
Speaking to FPJ, Nasir said, “This is not a random outpouring of anger; it is a concerted, well-orchestrated drive to hound Kashmiri students out of their classrooms, hostels and rented homes. Unless state administrations step in forcefully – take preventive measures, secure campuses and send a clear legal message – this campaign of vilification will only deepen the sense of fear and alienation among young Kashmiris who go outside the Valley to study.”
Nasir has appealed to every chief minister concerned and to national leaders across party lines to recognise that the right to education and personal safety cannot be suspended because of a terrorist attack hundreds of kilometres away.
“The longer authorities delay decisive action, the more they risk normalising collective punishment and eroding the foundational promise that any Indian citizen can live, learn and work anywhere in the country without intimidation,” Nasir told FPJ.
