DCs, SPs in Himachal directed to ensure safety of Kashmiris in state
State government has issued directions to all deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to ensure the safety of the Kashmiris in the state.
After the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists, and injured several others, the state government held a meeting on Thursday and issued directions to DCs and SPs directing them to ensure safety of Kashmiri labourers, vendors, and students in the state.
Himachal has a significant number of Kashmiri professionals, students in colleges, universities, labourers and vendors.
'The DCs and SPs have been directed to visit areas where Kashmiri people are staying and ensure their safety,' said chief secretary Prabodh Saxena while talking to HT on Thursday.
'Though no incident has been reported but the safety of the residents is paramount. No one will be allowed to disturb the harmony of the state,' he added.
'Already a general alert has been sounded and police forces as well as security agencies have been asked to remain vigilant,' he added.
Although there were reports on social media about Kashmiri students being harassed in a private university in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district, the incident reportedly occurred at a rented accommodation, not on the campus. 'Kashmiri students in states, including Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, were allegedly asked to leave their rented apartments or university hostels on Wednesday,' Jammu and Kashmir students association convener Nasir Khuehami said.
Students at a university in Himachal Pradesh were harassed and physically attacked after hostel doors were broken, Khuehami added. However, the university registrar denied the reports of such harassment involving and said police officials also inspected the campus on Thursday morning. 'The misinformation was spread about Kashmiri students being harassed at our campus. Nothing such happened here,' he said.
Nurpur additional superintendent of police Dharam Chand Verma said, 'No such incident occurred on the university campus, and we remain vigilant. The concerned SHO is also in regular contact with university authorities.'
With inputs from agencies
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