Rajnath assures safety, security of NIT Srinagar students

New Delhi : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday assured that students of Srinagar’s National Institute of Technology would be protected.

“Spoke to Governor J&K & DGP regarding situation in NIT Srinagar. I assure students that they should not worry about their security,” Singh said in a tweet.

He further said that he has instructed Deputy General of Police K. Rajendra to send a team of officers to the institute to assure the students of their safety and security.

Dr. Rajat Gupta, the director of NIT, yesterday assured the students, faculty and parents that the present situation arising out of tensions has been overcome.

The situation in the campus and at the hostels was restored to normal and academic activities would resume on Monday.

The district administration and local authorities had extended their cooperation to bring the situation under control.

All programmes in the institution will take place as scheduled, including the ‘National Research Scholar Conclave’ to be held on April 2 and 3 respectively.

Earlier, tension was simmering in the NIT after India lost the World T20 semi-final to the West Indies on Thursday night.

Some engineering students from outside the state claimed Kashmiri students had chanted anti-India slogans and burst firecrackers after India lost.

To control the situation, officials closed the institute’s entrance and did not allow anyone to enter.

The police had to be called in after efforts by the NIT officials to control the situation and disperse the crowd failed. The police baton charged the protestors and fired teargas to bring the situation under control. (ANI)