Shehla Rashid and other Twitter users had tweeted that Kashmiri students were being attacked in Dehradun after Pulwama terror attack.
'Don't believe in rumours,' said Uttarakhand Police as they refuted the claims about Kashmiri students being attacked in Dehradun after Pulwama terror attack. Social media was abuzz with messages that about 15-20 Kashmiri students were ‘trapped’ in a hostel at Dolphin college in Dehradun asking for help since there was a mob outside on Saturday evening.
Uttarakhand Police issued a notification saying that this issue has been sorted out and there are no crowds. In a tweet, Uttarakhand Police said, “Some people are creating rumours that 15-20 Kashmiri girls are trapped in a hostel in Dehradun for hours due to an angry mob. Police is present but unable to disperse the mob. This is not true.”
Don't Believe In Rumours pic.twitter.com/4WpoSCq1zz
— Uttarakhand Police (@uttarakhandcops) 16 February 2019
Director General of Police Ashok Kumar on Sunday dispelled reports of Kashmiri students being attacked in Dehradun in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, and asserted that "everything is normal."
“Rumours are being spread on social media that girls here are not safe. Everything is normal here. We are providing full protection to everyone,” he told ANI.
Earlier, Shehla Rashid and several other Twitter users had tweeted that Kashmiri students were being attacked in Dehradun after Pulwama terror attack.
1. Uttarakhand Police says situation sorted
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It was reported that 20 girl students from the valley locked themselves inside a hostel room after a mob surrounded the hostel on Saturday afternoon.
Uttarakhand Police said that the issue has been sorted and added there are no crowds. Speaking to ANI, Ashok Kumar, ADG (Law & Order), Uttarakhand said, “It is told that girls from the hostel chanted 'Pakistan Zindabad'. We don't have any proof regarding this. Police got this info we immediately intervened in the matter and sorted it out.”
“Initially there was some confusion regarding slogans by Kashmiri girls in favour of Pakistan which was resolved,” the tweet said.
'CRPF Madadgar', a Twitter account set by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and J&K Police also denied that any such incident took place.
Have contacted authorites at the above mentioned institute and also the local police, no such situation exists.
— CRPF Madadgaar (@CRPFmadadgaar) 16 February 2019
“Have contacted authorities at the above-mentioned institute and also the local police, no such situation exists,” it tweeted.
2. 'Rumors on social media'
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Ashok Kumar, ADG (Law&Order), Uttarakhand later told ANI, "The incident of students being trapped in a girls hostel is a rumour being spread on social media."
“Uttarakhand Police has provided full protection to all the people including the students from Kashmir. Our stand is clear - if someone posts something or even talk things that are anti-national, action will be taken against them,” he said. “A protest was taken out in the wake of Pulwama terrorist attack by local people on Saturday where they raised anti-Pakistan slogan. It has been alleged that girls of Dolphin Institute shouted slogans in support of Pakistan from the hostel later. However, we don’t have proof about it yet.”.
3. Shehla Rashid admits that these were rumors
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However, Shehla Rashid later admitted that these rumors and insinuations that the incident had something to do with "Pakistan" were false
The girls in Dolphin Institute Dehradun are safe. @uttarakhandcops are protecting them. Rumors and insinuations that the incident had something to do with "Pakistan" are false. Would like to thank Srinagar Mayor @Junaid_Mattu for being available and ensuring safety of the girls.
— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) 17 February 2019
Earlier, Rashid and several other Twitter users had tweeted that Kashmiri students were being attacked in Dehradun after Pulwama terror attack.
#SOSKashmir 15-20 Kashmiri girls trapped in a hostel in Dehradun for hours now, as an angry mob outside demands that they be expelled from the hostels. This is in Dolphin institute. Police is present but unable to disperse the mob.@INCUttarakhand @uttarakhandcops @ukcopsonline
— Shehla Rashid (@Shehla_Rashid) 16 February 2019
Fahad Shah, Editor of The The Kashmir Walla, added that a girl had called saying ‘please save us’.
SOS: Kashmri girls trapped in hostel at Dolphin college in Dehradun, asking for help, as mob is shouting outside. A girl called saying, please save us, take us out of here. #Kashmir
— Fahad Shah (@pzfahad) 16 February 2019
4. Helpline for Kashmiri students
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Meanwhile, helplines were set up for Kashmiri students who were worried about facing backlash after the terror attack in Pulwama which resulted in the death of 40 CRPF jawans. IG (Operations) Zulfiqar Hassan is leading the team to respond to calls and address the grievances of the Kashmiri students 24x7.
#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) 16 February 2019
As per media reports, more than 1,000 students from Kashmir are enrolled in various colleges of Uttarakhand. Some Kashmiri students were roughed up by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members on Friday, reported Times of India.
On Saturday, the police had arrested a Kashmiri student in for allegedly making insensitive and communal posts on social media in the wake of the terror attack. The complainant alleged that the accused had attempted to provoke communal tension by making defamatory comments on Facebook and WhatsApp. Police has said action will be taken against those who talk or post anti-national things on social media.
