Two Jammu and Kashmir students who were assaulted yesterday in Haryana by a group of over 15 people on Saturday refuted the police version that they were beaten after a “scuffle” between the two sides.
The students Aftab Ahmad and Amjad Ali, belonging to Rajouri district, were beaten up in Mahendargarh town of the north Indian state as they were returning to their university after offering Friday prayers.
Both the students are pursuing MSC Geography from Central University of Haryana and are in their final year.
Director General of Haryana Police BS Sandhu said that three persons involved in the act have been arrested.
“It was through video clip we were able to identify the people involved in this act. They are all locals. The other four are absconding. We will also arrest them soon,” said Sandhu.
The Haryana police chief also said that it was a “scuffle” between the two groups. “It was a scuffle between the two groups after an accident. Nothing serious,” he said adding that the case has already been registered.
However, the students and their friends refuted the police version that they were involved in a scuffle.
Rehan Andrabi, one of the students and friend of the assaulted students at the Haryana’s Central University said that the University is situated at Jant/Pali village, some 12 kilometers from Mahindergarh.
“There is no market over here. Even for minutest purchases such as pen or paper, we have to venture to Mahindergarh market. Once in a fortnight, we routinely go to market and purchase whatever are our requirements. Before venturing out, we inform our varsity officials through proper communication and it is only after they give nod that we move out”.
Andrabi said that he saw both Aftab Ahmad and Amjad Ali around 1pm on Friday in the campus. “They sought proper permission to go to the market in Mahindergarh. They were a group of four friends”.
One of the friends among the group of four with Amjad and Aftab was Ravi who studies MSC Geography alongside the two Kashmiri students in the University.
Ravi said: “We were four friends. Amajad and Aftab went to offer Namaz in the Jami masjid at Mahindergarh. We two moved to Mashani Chowk. It was around 2:30 pm. We were 500 meters apart from each other. Aftab called me. He was petrified. From far away as we headed towards Aftab, we saw Amjad was running. We saw a group of some 12 boys who just vanished away after we arrived. Blood was oozing from Aftab’s nose”.
“We called police. They came. But they didn’t register an FIR. They told us that it would be only registered when a doctor would tell them that the duo has been beaten. The case was only registered when University officials took the matter with police”.
Both Andrabi and Ravi said that they are “apprehending that police are trying to give a new twist to it”.
“As the case is now in the media and it has been highlighted. I am sensing that they are trying to portray as if nothing happened. They may give it a new twist,” alleged Andrabi.