Student injured in clash over ‘The Kerala Story’ in Government Medical College, Jammu

NEW DELHI: A Kashmiri student of Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu has sustained head injuries and received over 10 stitches after being attacked with an iron rod due to an altercation over the recently-released Bollywood film The Kerala Story. The victim is a final-year Muslim student from Chenab Valley and was allegedly assaulted by a Hindu student on Sunday. The videos of the incident have gone viral on social media.

The incident took place after Hindu students allegedly posted “derogatory” messages against Muslim community.

“After watching the film The Kerala Story, some Hindu students of MBBS first year had posted derogatory messages against Muslims on the college's WhatsApp groups. They posted that it is a must-watch movie for everyone and planned to watch it together in a hostel room. A Muslim Kashmiri student studying in MBBS first year objected to it saying that such messages should not be shared in educational groups,” a final year student hailing from Kashmir told Careers360.

“Rattled by the objections, the Hindu students planned to assault the objecting student. They also called a few outsiders and while they were on their way to attack the students, they were intercepted by senior students from Kashmir. During the altercation, the Hindu students attacked them and one of them has been injured badly and hospitalised now,” he added.

Injured medical student at GMC, Jammu. (Image: Special Arrangement)

Meanwhile, a student from Jammu said that Muslim students “protested” against the movie and this led to the said incident.

"Hindu students from Jammu and other regions had planned to watch The Kerala Story together in their hostel rooms. Muslim students from Kashmir and Jammu protested against the movie and assaulted Hindu students. In the altercation, a final year MBBS student was injured badly," said a student of GMC Jammu who wants to remain anonymous. He also alleged that Muslim students also “restrict Hindu students not to play music”.

Also Read | MIT Bengaluru professor debarred for calling a Muslim student ‘terrorist’; video goes viral

GMC Jammu: Student group demands action

Nasir Khuehami, national convenor of Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has “strongly” urged Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene and take immediate action to address the situation.

Hv received distressing calls from GMC Jammu, reporting that a group of Kashmiri students have been injured as a result of a recent altercation over the Kerala Story issue. 1 student was attacked with an iron rod & sustained head injuries with 12 stitches. @OfficeOfLGJandK pic.twitter.com/agb2OIZL50

— Nasir Khuehami (ناصر کہویہامی) (@NasirKhuehami) May 15, 2023

Khuehami added that JKSA members are working closely with the authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future.

"In response, J and K Lieutenant Governor's media advisor Yatish Yadav emphasized that there is zero tolerance towards anyone who tries to disturb communal harmony. We have been assured that timely action will be taken, and a special security meeting will be held to address this incident, Khuehami said while quoting ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh," JKSA said in a statement.

Aabid Mir Magami, national spokesperson of Indian Youth Congress urged J and K LG Sinha to take cognisance and punish the culprits.

The Kerala Hate Story :

1 student was attacked with an iron rod & sustained head injuries with 12 stitches in Government Medical college Jammu, J&K.

Request @OfficeOfLGJandK to take cognisance & punish the culprits. pic.twitter.com/oiJXC4psml

— Aabid Mir Magami عابد میر ماگامی (Athlete) (@AabidMagami) May 15, 2023

Students from Kashmir are sitting on protest demanding action against the students involved in the incident. “We want the suspension of all the perpetrators of the incident,” said a protesting student.

Kashmiri MBBS students beaten in gmc jammu, as per report local students of collage jammu and beat kashmiri students. One student has get eight stitches in his head. Kashmiri students protest. Now students want to provide justice as soon as possible pic.twitter.com/I6LSpslk12

— Junaid Bhat Photographer (@Junaidbhatphoto) May 15, 2023

Meanwhile, SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli reportedly said that police have taken cognisance of the matter and investigation is going on.

GMC Jammu and Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of GMC have not issued any statement on the incident. ‘The Kerala Story' released in thatres on May 5 shows the story of three young girls from various regions of Kerala who are abducted and subsequently converted to Islam and later compelled to join ISIS as a terrorist. The film’s trailer has falsely claimed that 32,000 Kerala women had been radicalised by Islamic fundamentalists – a lie its makers had to later correct. The film, supported by the BJP government, has been widely regarded as inciting hatred against Muslims.