Muslim students studying in Punjab and Uttarakhand report harassment, violence, and threats from Hindu groups, exposing a disturbing pattern of communal intolerance
NEW DELHI — Kashmiri Muslim students across India are living in fear following a series of violent and intimidating incidents, including a shocking molestation case in Mohali in Punjab, and explicit threats issued by Hindu extremist groups in Uttarakhand. These events come in the wake of a brutal attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which has further heightened communal tensions and insecurity for Kashmiri Muslim students far from their home.
A disturbing video has recently surfaced showing a Kashmiri girl student studying at Rayat-Bahra University in Kharar in Mohali being molested, her hair pulled, and verbally abused. The girl reported that some fellow students insulted her by calling her a terrorist, a painful stigma frequently unjustly attached to Muslims from Kashmir.
She said, “They called me a terrorist and misbehaved with me openly on campus. I was scared and had to rush back to my room with my friend. Even locals later harassed us, pulling my friend by her hair and trying to assault her.” The traumatised girl locked herself in her room for over a day, too frightened to attend classes or even step outside.
Meet this young girl who was assaulted by local goons in the Kharar area of Chandigarh. Salute to the Sikh brother who stood up against injustice. #Kashmir #Students #pahalgamattack pic.twitter.com/l7r22efrU9
— Run Machine (@Kohligone) April 24, 2025
The incident sparked outrage once the video went viral. The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) quickly took up the matter, and Ishwarpreet Singh Sidhu, the Punjab NSUI state head, visited the student to offer support. On orders from the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohali, DSP Kharar Karan Singh Sandhu and SP (PBI) Deepika Singh conducted a campus visit, speaking to students and promising increased security measures.
The police have announced tighter security on campus and its surroundings to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students. However, this assurance has done little to ease fears.
In a stark and troubling development, the Hindu Raksha Dal, an extremist Hindu organisation, has issued open threats to Muslim Kashmiri students studying in Uttarakhand. A video circulated widely on social media shows Lalit, a member of the group, warning Muslim students to leave the state, or else “they will be treated” — a chilling implication of vigilante violence.
These threats add to a growing atmosphere of hostility and fear for Kashmiri Muslims studying outside Kashmir. The message is clear: Muslims from Kashmir are being targeted due to their religious and regional identity, facing discrimination and intimidation in educational institutions and society at large.
A Kashmiri girl has appealed for help to return home, She is currently in Chandigarh.
— هارون خان (@iamharunkhan) April 24, 2025
Locals are misbehaving with her and hurling abuses, She hasn't eaten since yesterday.
A cab driver assaulted the Kashmiri passengers and forcibly threw them out of the cab. pic.twitter.com/h73P0nx98z
Local Muslim community leaders and student activists have condemned these acts. A spokesperson from the All India Students Association (AISA) said, “It is shameful that Muslim students from Kashmir, who come to study peacefully, face such brutal harassment and threats. The administration must act firmly to protect them and bring perpetrators to justice.”
Another activist remarked, “These attacks are part of a deliberate attempt to intimidate and isolate Muslims, particularly from Kashmir, under the influence of extremist Hindutva groups who are allowed to operate with impunity.”
Such incidents highlight a disturbing pattern of communal bias and state inaction. Muslim students — especially those from Kashmir — are being labelled terrorists without cause, abused physically and verbally, and threatened with violence. These actions not only violate their basic rights but also threaten the very fabric of India’s secular and pluralistic society.
Mohammed Iqbal, a Kashmiri student at a university in Punjab, shared his anxiety, “We are scared to go to college or move freely. The fear of being attacked or called names is constant. We came here to study, not to be harassed.”
The repeated attacks and threats also raise serious questions about the effectiveness of security and law enforcement in protecting minority students. Despite police assurances, the victims and their families remain deeply worried.
Authorities must urgently take comprehensive steps to curb hate crimes and communal violence. There should be clear condemnations from all levels of government and immediate legal action against those inciting hatred and violence. Protecting Kashmiri Muslim students is not just a law-and-order issue; it is a matter of upholding justice and human dignity.
The continued silence or muted response from mainstream political leaders, especially those affiliated with the ruling BJP and its student wing ABVP, only emboldens extremists. These groups have long been accused of promoting a Hindutva agenda that marginalises Muslims, and such violent incidents underline the urgent need to dismantle hate-based ideologies.
In the words of Dr Saima Bano, a civil rights activist, “This is a blatant attempt to spread fear and division among our youth. Muslim students deserve to live and learn without threats. The government’s failure to protect them signals its complicity in communal violence.”
