After Pulwama, Kashmiris from various parts of India allege harassment, CRPF launches helpline
Jammu, Feb 17: Kashmiri students in various parts of the India have complained of being harassed and threatened following the terror attack in Pulwama terror attack on Thursday.
Following several reports of threats, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday issued an advisory to all states and union territories to take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students and residents, ANI reported.
In view of reports of alleged harassment, the CRPF launched a helpline -- CRPF Madadgaar with the Twitter handle @CRPFmadadgaar.
Security for Kashmiri separatists: Home secy begins assessment
Students and general public, presently out of Jammu and Kashmir, can contact on 24x7 toll free number 14411 or SMS at 7082814411 for speedy assistance in case they face any harassment.
#Kashmiri students and general public, presently out of #kashmir can contact @CRPFmadadgaar on 24x7 toll free number 14411 or SMS us at 7082814411 for speedy assistance in case they face any difficulties/harrasment. @crpfindia @HMOIndia @JKZONECRPF @jammusector @crpf_srinagar pic.twitter.com/L2Snvk6uC4
— CRPF Madadgaar (@CRPFmadadgaar) February 16, 2019
A senior official said the force will undertake immediate steps in case the helpline receives a distress call by a Kashmir-based person and will alert and depute the officials from its nearest located base to address the issue.
"While we have lost our comrades, it is our pledge to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially to those living in the Kashmir Valley, that we are with them always," he said.
In Uttarakhand's Dehradun, students have claimed that 12 of them were beaten up by activists from right-wing organisations such as the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. "They gave the students 24 hours to leave the state," Jammu and Kashmir Students' Organisation's spokesperson Nasir Khuehami said.
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and sought his intervention to ensure safety of Kashmiri students and traders in various parts of the country.
Concerned about safety of Kashmiri's Omar asks Rajnath to intervene
"I took the opportunity to inform Rajnath Singh Sb of the reports I had received of Kashmiri students & others being threatened/harassed and requested him to appoint a nodal officer in HMO India to ensure the directive issued to states is followed in letter & spirit (sic)," he wrote on Twitter.
At least 44 CRPF personnel died in the attack in south Kashmir, which was carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed.