Students clash at Amritsar college, viral videos claim Kashmir-Bihari dispute

VIdeos of a difference of opinion betwixt deuce groups of students at a college in Amritsar went viral on sat, bringing into the spotlight a fight that took place on Wednesday and later flared up again.The videos showed students identified as those from Bihar raising slogans against Kashmiri students outside their hostel at the Khalsa College of Engineering and Technology at Ranjit Avenue. These videos, shot by the Kashmiri students, were shared among others by AAP MLA Mehraj Malik from Doda, J&K.Police said there were minor injuries to some of the students in the Wednesday.“Initially it was dispute between students, that had been sorted out. Now, some students are seeking action against some teachers. Now, this issue is at the level of management of the college,” Ranjit Avenue police station house officer (SHO) Robin Hans said.After the videos went viral on social media, deputy commissioner of police (investigation) Jagjit Singh Walia on Saturday visited the campus of the college, managed by Khalsa College Governing Council (KKGC).From the campus, he shared a message: "Atmosphere of the college is calm and peaceful. Studies are going on without any disruption. The incident took place on Wednesday night. There is no tension in the college now. However, it is being seen that rumours are being spread over social media and videos are being circulated as well. Society should not be impacted by these rumours".The college's director-principal Manju Bala said, “The clash is being given wrong colour. Police and administration are helping us a lot in sorting out this matter. On the complaint of a group of students belonging to Bihar, the management has suspended one of the faculty members." She added, “We want peace also because examinations are coming and we don’t want any student to suffer any loss. It appears that some outsiders are trying to instigate the situation.”What was the fight about?The incident began in the hostel mess over a minor disagreement related to language between students from Kashmir and Bihar, police sources told HT.The verbal exchange quickly turned physical, with members of both groups confronting each other and engaging in a fight on campus. The injured students were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.The situation caused panic within the campus, prompting the police to arrive and restore order. Security measures were tightened following the clash, officials said.College authorities had initially managed to calm tensions, but the situation flared up again after some Bihari students alleged that a faculty member had slapped one of them. Three students sustained minor injuries and have been treated. Probe onThe college authorities said the administration resolved the dispute and has taken disciplinary action by expelling all students involved from the hostel for six months, though they will still be allowed to sit for examinations.The college has also reportedly recommended action against the faculty member following complaints.Police officials confirmed that statements from all parties have been recorded and an investigation is underway.CCTV footage from the campus is being reviewed to establish the sequence of events and identify those involved. Initial findings suggest the clash may have stemmed from an earlier disagreement between the groups.