Students at KU stage protests, class work suspended in IUST
Srinagar: The custodial killing of a teacher in Awantipora on Tuesday triggered student protests in Kashmir University (KU) besides suspension of class work and postponement of exams at the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora.
An official said the authorities in IUST on Tuesday morning notified postponement of exams and stopped playing of its buses after receiving an input from the district administration about the law and order problems in the district.
“Earlier it was presumed that class work was suspended as encounter started in the area but later it was revealed that the measures were taken in wake of the custodial death of a school teacher here,” an official at IUST said.
He said the decision to suspend the class work was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid law and order situation.
Rizwan Assad Pandith (28) died in the custody at CARGO camp in Srinagar last night, triggering widespread condemnations and protests in Kashmir.
However, despite the postponement of exams and suspension of class work at IUST, students at Kashmir University (KU) staged a protest against the custodial death of a school teacher and summons issued to Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The protesting students were carrying banners which read “Stop harassment of our leaders, NIA summon to Mirwaiz is not acceptable.”
The students were raising slogans and marched inside the varsity premises to register their protest against the custodial killing of a teacher. The protesting students demanded an impartial probe into the custodial death of the school teacher.
Meanwhile, the authorities in IUST extended suspension of class work for second consecutive day and also announced postponement of Wednesday exams as well.
“The class work will remain suspended on Wednesday and all exams stand postpone,” a varsity official said.
He said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid law and order situation in the campus.
“The teacher was an employee of IUST polytechnic college and was teaching chemistry to our students here,” the official said. He said the fresh dates of postponed exams will be announced later, separately.
KV Correspondent
