Kashmiri students attacked over beef rumours in Indian university

Four Kashmiri students were allegedly roughed up by activists of Hindu groups in northern Indian state of Rajasthan over beef rumours, reports said Wednesday.

The students were attacked at privately-run Mewar university after rumours spread that they were cooking beef in their hostel room.

Local reports said activists from Hindu hardline groups assembled in the campus and shouted slogans after beating students.

However, the situation was defused with the arrival of police, who took the meat for forensic lab testing.

A senior police official Prasanna Khamesara told media the incident occurred due to a misunderstanding.

"Some mischief mongers had spread rumours that the students were cooking beef. But it didn't look like beef. We have sent it for forensic testing just to be sure," Khamesara said.

The university administration said the issue was being blown out of proportion.

Majority of Hindus consider cow to be sacred, and their slaughtering is banned in most Indian states.

Last year a 50-year-old Mohammad Akhlaq was beaten to death and his son injured by a Hindu mob at Dadri in Uttar Pardesh over false rumours that the family was eating beef. Endit