‘What Is Our Mistake?’: Fear Grips Kashmiri Students in Pune After Pahalgam Attack
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 27th April 2025: Following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, a wave of fear has swept through the Kashmiri student community across the country, including Pune. Reports of Kashmiri students being intimidated in different parts of India have sparked serious concern, with many questioning why they are being targeted for crimes they neither committed nor supported.
In Pune, students from the Sarhad Institute and other colleges voiced their distress at a press conference on Sunday. They announced plans to meet Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on Monday to seek protection and assurances about their safety.
“We have come here to study, not to create trouble. What is our mistake? Why are we being punished?” a Kashmiri student said, speaking on behalf of the group.
Another student made an emotional appeal, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prioritize unity and development over divisions of caste and religion. “Modiji, we are also Indians. Please leave caste and religion behind and focus on development,” the student said.
There are currently more than 1,000 Kashmiri students enrolled in various institutions in Pune. Some of them had returned to Kashmir for the holidays and are now reluctant to come back to Pune due to the prevailing atmosphere of fear.
“We are here to pursue our education. We are equally saddened and angered by the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. We strongly condemn it. But it is painful that we are being viewed with suspicion and targeted because of it,” another student expressed during the press conference.
The students reiterated that while they understand the nation’s anger and grief, holding innocent individuals responsible only adds to the cycle of suffering. They urged society to distinguish between those involved in violence and those who are merely seeking a better future through education.
The Sarhad Institute, which has a long history of supporting students from conflict zones, has assured them of all necessary support and is coordinating with the police to ensure their safety.
As fear and uncertainty grip Kashmiri students across the country, their message remains clear: they are here to learn, to build their lives, and to be part of India’s growth story — not to be caught in the crossfire of hate and fear.
