After the tourist attack took place in Pahalgam tensions have escalated in Uttarakhand’s capital following the circulation of a threatening video by Hindu Raksha Dal leader Lalit Sharma, demanding that Kashmiri Muslims leave the state by 10 a.m. on Thursday. In response, Dehradun police have increased security across the city and removed at least 25 “inciting posts” from social media platforms.
The video, which has gone viral, features Sharma saying, “The incident in Pahalgam has hurt us… If we see any Kashmiri Muslim in the state after 10 am tomorrow, we will give them the right treatment. Tomorrow, all our workers will leave their homes to give this treatment to Kashmiri Muslims. We won’t wait for the government to take action… Kashmiri Muslims, leave by 10 am, else you will face action you can’t imagine.”
As fear spread among students from Jammu and Kashmir, many began fleeing their colleges in Dehradun. A student from Doon PG College told The Indian Express that at least five students had already left for the airport. “Fifteen students have an exam today and we have come to the college. They were getting threats from right-wing groups,” he said.
Another student, a second-year BSc candidate at BFIT College, said he and his friends booked a flight for Thursday evening after hearing the ultimatum. “Professors in our college said they were concerned about our safety, advising us to relocate to a different area about 50 km away where the situation was stable. They were thinking of sending us to Chandigarh but we decided to leave the campus at around 2 am on Thursday and take a flight to Delhi. Our professor gave us his car and guard,” he said.
The student, originally from Kupwara in north Kashmir, added that he and his peers would remain in Kashmir until September. “Our summer vacation will start in a few weeks. However, I am worried about the Kashmiri students and faculty at BFIT,” he added.
Senior Superintendent of Police Ajai Singh said authorities are in touch with college deans and wardens to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students. “All are assured of safety and security, and if anyone does anything against the law, we will take strict action,” he said. However, Singh did not comment directly on the viral video.
Nasir Khuehami, spokesperson for the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, said that multiple students had rushed to the airport in response to threats. “Right-wing outfits from the state have been issuing threats asking Kashmiri Muslims to leave by 10 am. Several rushed from their institutions to the airport. We have spoken to the Governor of the state and the police. We are in contact with the students to check on the situation,” he said.
The current atmosphere echoes memories of 2019, when several Kashmiri students were reportedly beaten in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, allegedly by members of right-wing groups. At the time, mobs also attempted to enter the premises of institutions where Kashmiri students were enrolled.