GREATER NOIDA: The Sharda University management on Friday faced embarrassing questions on campus security from a group of Kashmiri students, who said at a meeting on Friday they had been accosted by outsiders within the campus and asked if they were "Indian or Afghan".A section of students has been demanding the expulsion of Afghan students from the campus after three Afghan boys thrashed a fellow student, an Indian, on the campus on October 1 over an "offensive" WhatsApp message. The three students have been suspended but violence broke out for a second time this Thursday when a group of students suddenly turned on two Kashmiri boys. The university shut down the campus till Sunday after that.At the meeting on Friday, Kashmiri students asked how outsiders reached the seventh floor of a building and confronted them about their identity. The students said they would leave the university if the management could not ensure their security.The attacks also became a political issue with two former J&K chief ministers, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, both voicing their concerns on Twitter."(The) university needs to do more to ensure their students aren’t targeted, deliberately or by mistake, because of their ethnicity," Abdullah tweeted. Mehbooba urged the PM, home minister and chief minister to take "strict action against the culprits". J&K governor Satya Pal Malik spoke to Yogi Adityanath.At Friday’s meeting, two girl students complained they were asked whether they were from Afghanistan or India during Thursday’s brawl. One of them was allegedly hit by a youth, who had his face covered, in Block 7 of the university campus while they were exiting the examination hall."It happened near the lift where CCTV cameras are not installed. A group of youths with their faces covered came near me and asked us whether I was from Afghanistan or India. When I told him I am a Kashmiri, he aimed at my shoulder but hit my hand as he missed. I cannot identify them as their faces were covered," a first-year LLB student, who is from J&K, said.Another first-year Kashmiri student said her identity card was snatched by the youths, who also asked her where she was from.A group of Kashmiri girls protested in the administration block of the university on Friday, seeking suspension of the students who attacked a Kashmiri boy on Thursday. Later, they attended the meeting of international and local students called by the university management where the SDM (Sadar), circle officer (Greater Noida I) and registrar and chief proctor of the university were present.A Kashmiri student said the tagline of the university was "the world is here". "But where is the security? How can someone come to the seventh floor of the university building and ask me where I was from?" the student said.The meeting saw heated arguments with Afghan and Kashmiri students seeking action against all those involved in thealleged assault. The students also demanded that they be handed over a copy of the FIR against Deepak Sharma — who identifies himself as founder of Rashtriya Swabhimaan Dal, and who allegedly entered the campus to "instigate" students."How can such people enter the university and create a ruckus? We are ready to leave if the university cannot ensure our security," a Kashmiri student told the management.They also demanded that they be shifted to one hostel. Registrar Amal Kumar told the students a three-member inquiry committee has started identifying some students involved in the brawl.Kumar said they have decided to close the boundary between Sharda hospital and Sharda university completely. "The hospital adjoins the university and the police has also pointed out about the likelihood of some unwanted elements making use of the boundary. We will close the same and are also thinking about installing more CCTV cameras," he said.The district administration has decided to initiate proceedings under sections 107 and 116 of Criminal Procedure Code against as many as 38 students of the university for breach of peace. SDM (Sadar) Rajpal Singh, who addressed the Sharda University students on Friday, said the 38 students were identified using CCTV footage and they include both local and international students. "These students include those who have been a part of the ruckus on the campus over the past five days. They will have to pay a security bond of about Rs. 50,000 each in the SDM court. This sum will be recovered from the institution as the students are their responsibility at present," he said.The SDM also warned the nternational students about any violation of law, stating thatthe authorities at their home countries will be informed in case any breach of law was found on their part.

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