An interaction between students of a university in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and visiting Indian journalist on Saturday turned chaotic due to angry exchanges among the students on the Kashmir issue.
Police had to intervene and escort the journalists to safety.
The session was disrupted when students owing allegiance to the National Students Front, an offshoot of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, started shouting slogans for an independent Kashmir. Others favouring its accession to Pakistan objected.
Meanwhile, some students captured the stage and claimed that the university had expelled them for raising a students' union on the campus, a charge denied by the university officials.
One student shouted that the journalists should be allowed to meet students outside the Convention Hall, as there was a large presence of Inter-Services Intelligence-sponsored students who would project a wrong picture of the wishes and aspirations of the people.
The atmosphere became vitiated when hundreds of students raised anti-Pakistan slogans.
The police then took control and dispersed the pro-independence students.
The interaction session was organised by the Kashmir Resources Centre for Studies in Muzaffarabad. The journalists were touring PoK under the aegis of the South Asia Free Media Association.
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