Sharda University clash: District admin discusses issue with varsity management

The Gautam Buddh Nagar administration held a meeting with the Sharda University management Friday to discuss the fight that broke out on its campus in Greater Noida between groups of Indian and Afghan students, officials said.

Over 350 students, including Indians and Afghans, were booked for rioting and related offences after the clash during which a student from Kashmir got roughed up.

Thursday's incident followed a scuffle on Monday, the purported video of which had surfaced on social media.

Three Afghan students were suspended over the Monday scuffle and the university had announced shutting classes till Sunday, while the mid-term was examinations deferred, according to officials.

District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh said the Sharda University management has been asked to bring the two confronting sides to the table and ensure dialogue between them in order to defuse the tension.

India and Afghanistan are friendly countries. The university officials have been asked to get the students from both sides to talk so that cordial relations can be restored among them.

"They have been told to tell the students to concentrate on their studies and focus on upcoming examinations, Singh told PTI.

The administration has also asked the university to restrict entry of outsiders, particularly those making communal statements and inflammatory remarks, he said.

Referring to the purported videos being circulated on social media related to incident at the university, Singh said police would be asked to put a check on people indulging in making such comments.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal and former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah also expressed concern over the incident in western Uttar Pradesh's Greater Noida and sought action from the Centre and the state government.

The governor spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday morning and urged him to ensure that Kashmiri students are provided a safe and secure environment in the educational institutions of the state, an official spokesperson said.

Mufti tweeted, Urge PMO India, (UP chief minister) Yogi Adityanath and (Union Home Minister) Rajnath Singh ji to take strict action against the culprits and ensure safety of students from J&K."