Girl students of two colleges in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahar district, about 450 kilometres from here, have allegedly been threatened with molestation if they failed to wear 'burqa' (veil put on Muslim women).

According to the police sources, the girls from the Muslim community in Sarai Murtaza area in the district complained to the authorities that they were subjected to lewd comments and were also stalked on way to their colleges by the men in the locality.

They said that the men threatened them with 'molestation' if they did not wear 'burqa'. ''Many of us do not wear burqa....the men do not like it,'' said one of the students.

Some girls met the senior district officials in Bulandshahar on Tuesday and apprised them of their plight. Sources said that a probe has been ordered into the matter.

The local police officials also held a meeting with the residents of the locality and asked them to send their children to the college without any fear.

''A joint magistrate level officer has been entrusted with the task of conducting the probe. We have assured the parents that there is nothing to fear. We will take stern action against the culprits,'' said a senior official in Bulandshahar on Wednesday.

Earlier also in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, about 250 kilometres from here, girl students of an inter college had stopped attending classes after being subjected to harassment on the way.