J&K: 54 students injured in Pulwama as jawans fire tear gas, pellets

Srinagar: Over fifty students were injured in clashes with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s southern town of Pulwama on Saturday, as security forces fired tear gas and pellets to disperse angry students.

The students were protesting against alleged highhandedness of security forces outside government-run degree college in Pulwama.

They also alleged that the security forces not only harassed them but also barged into the college premises where they were forced them to chant slogans denouncing separatists, militants and “freedom cause”. When they protested against it the latter resorted to “brute force” against them.

However, the police denied the charges and said that a normal naka was established around 200 meters away from the college premises. “As class work ended some miscreants started pelting stones at the naka party. To handle the stone pelting reinforcement was rushed to the spot,” it said in a statement here.

It added, “The mob swelled as more students joined and pelted stones on the forces. In this incident some miscreants and police personnel were injured. One was referred to Srinagar hospital where his condition is stable”.

The police also said that it wants to clarify that no raids were conducted and the video being shared on social networking sites is not from Pulwama.

The doctors at the Pulwama district hospital said that they had till 4 pm received treated 54 students including females who had been hit by teargas shells and pellets and that three critically injured were referred to Srinagar for advanced treatment.