Uttarakhand police files FIR against Hindu Raksha Dal leader over threats to Kashmiri students

Hindu Raksha Dal leader Lalit Sharma has been booked by Uttarakhand Police after a video of him threatening Kashmiri Muslim students went viral, following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

In the video, Sharma demanded that all Kashmiri Muslims leave Uttarakhand by 10 am on April 24 or face consequences.

"If we see any Kashmiri Muslim in the state after 10 a.m., we will give them the right treatment. We won’t wait for the government. Our workers will be on the streets to take action," he said in the video, which quickly drew public backlash.

Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajai Singh confirmed that an FIR was filed under sections 196(1) (promoting enmity), 352 (criminal intimidation), and 353(2) (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint was registered at the Patel Nagar police station.

Singh added that 25 objectionable posts related to the incident had been taken down from social media and warned that strict action would be taken against anyone posting inflammatory content in the future.

"Our social media monitoring cell is actively scanning for such content," he said.

Additional Director General of Police (ADG), Intelligence, AP Anshuman, said security across the state had been heightened to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students.

"We are on high alert and are committed to the safety of every student from Kashmir," he said.

Despite these assurances, fear had already gripped the student community. At least 20 Kashmiri students from various institutions left Uttarakhand following the viral threats.

Mohsin Abbas, admission coordinator at Doon Group of Colleges in Dehradun, said the situation on campus was stable, but many students had already departed out of concern for their safety.

One pharmacy student from Kashmir, who flew to Delhi with a group of fellow students, shared that their exams were due in a month and a half, but they had no choice but to leave. "Our professors were worried too. They even offered to relocate us to a safer location. Eventually, we left at 2 am and were given a car and a security guard to reach the airport," the student said.

Another student, waiting at the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, described the anxiety they faced after watching the video. "We couldn’t sleep. Our families were panicking. In the morning, another video surfaced, and that’s when we decided to head to the airport."

Many students questioned the hostility they were facing. "Why are we being blamed for something that happened elsewhere? We are here to study, not to create trouble," said a 20-year-old student from Kulgam, Kashmir.

Nasir Khuehami of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association urged authorities to act swiftly.

"Hindu Raksha Dal has openly threatened Kashmiri Muslim students. It is crucial that strong legal action is taken and student safety ensured," he said.