Indian police assaults Kashmiri Muslim students in Punjab

On 15th September, Kashmiri Muslim students were severely attacked at Desh Bhagat University in Punjab during their peaceful protest against the university’s move to illegally transfer their admissions to a college that lacks accreditation.

Around 70 Kashmiri students were being illegally transferred, despite being in their third year of study already.

One of the students who faced police brutality, while speaking to us on the condition of anonymity, stated that many of her fellow Kashmiri students were detained, beaten with batons, and some even had to be hospitalized after receiving serious injuries. Another student, speaking to one of the news outlets, stated that the hijabs of the Kashmiri Muslim girls were forcibly removed from their heads by the police. One of the Kashmiri students received a severe head injury that resulted in 15 stitches.

This is not the first time Kashmiri Muslim students have faced attacks in different parts of India. In October of 2021, Kashmiri students were attacked and beaten after Pakistan defeated India in a cricket match. On other occasions, Kashmiri students have been forced to chant pro-India, Hindu, or anti-Pakistan slogans.