Getting assurance from District and Police administration for student’s security in trains, leading Islamic Seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband had decided against cancelling the Eid Uz Zuha (Bakrid) holidays.
Earlier in past week, fearing more assaults on their students in trains on Deoband-Delhi railway route Seminary was planning to cancel Eid-uz-Zuha holidays. Notably, in past two months more than 50 cases of thrashing seminary students in trains have been reported. The seminary authorities had written letters to central government and ministry of railways over the issue.
"Traveling in trains had become a nightmare for the students as in past two months many students of the seminary had been assaulted by mischief mongers. But the local administration and top police officials have assured that appropriate security will be given to the students going to their native places," Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Seminary, Ashraf Usmani told The Pioneer over phone.
The festival of Eid-uz-Zuha will be falling on October 16 or October 17 and more than 5000 students of seminary were granted holidays of 15 days for visiting their native place to celebrate the festival. The students will start leaving from October 1 to their respective residence because they belong to different states of the country.
A couple of days back a meeting of seminary authorities with district administration and police personnel was held in the seminary. The meeting was headed by Rector (Mohtamim) of Seminary, Mufti Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani. "In the meeting, the officials asked us to provide list of the students along with their departure dates and trains so that security can be provided according to the same," said Usmani.
As per sources the officials opined that if seminary cancels the holidays it will send a wrong message to other parts of the country from where these students belong when they will not reach their home to celebrate the festival.
"Earlier the issue was taken up in Majlis-e-Talimi (Committee of Seminary Officials) for taking final decision on the issue and committee decided to cancel the holidays but as the assurance had been taken positively by the seminary, the holidays will not be cancelled and students will start leaving from October 1," said Usmani.