Srinagar, July 3: Tension gripped the Mirza Bagh Residential Campus of the University of Kashmir at Sadrabal on Friday after the University’s Chief Proctor, Prof. Imtiyaz Ahmad, was allegedly threatened and an attempt was made to manhandle him by suspected land grabbers shortly after Vice Chancellor Prof. Nilofer Khan visited the campus to review the alleged encroachment of University land.
Chief Proctor Prof. Imtiyaz Ahmad said the encroachment took place during the 8th, 9th and 10th days of Muharram when over a kanal of the University’s land was occupied by some persons. The Mirza Bagh Residential Campus, spread over more than 300 kanals, houses nearly 200 residential quarters occupied by teaching and non-teaching employees of the University.
University authorities had approached Police Station Nigeen on June 30, alleging criminal trespass and damage to the fencing erected around the University’s property. Acting on the complaint, a police team visited the site the same day, assessed the situation and registered an FIR against the alleged encroachers.
On Friday, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nilofer Khan, accompanied by senior University officers, visited the campus to take stock of the situation. During the visit, the Vice Chancellor directed the concerned officials to initiate the demarcation of the University’s land to safeguard the public property from further encroachment.
However, according to University officials, the situation took a serious turn soon after the Vice Chancellor and the accompanying security personnel left the campus. A group of locals entered the University premises, threatened and abused the Chief Proctor and other officials, and attempted to manhandle Prof. Imtiyaz Ahmad while objecting to the University’s action against the alleged encroachment.
Speaking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust (KNT), Chief Proctor Prof. Imtiyaz Ahmad confirmed the incident, alleging that the persons who had allegedly grabbed more than one kanal of Kashmir University land threatened him with consequences and attempted to manhandle him when he resisted the encroachment.
“They threatened me and tried to manhandle me after I objected to the illegal occupation of University land. An FIR has already been registered, and we are pursuing the matter through legal channels,” Prof. Ahmad told KNT.
University officials described the encroached land as public property belonging to the University and urged the administration to ensure its protection by taking strict legal action against those involved.
Police have already registered a case in connection with the alleged trespass and damage to University property, while further investigation is underway.
