GREATER NOIDA: A private university in Greater Noida on Saturday expelled six students — four of them Kashmiris — from one of its boys’ hostels after a stand-off between two groups over last Sunday’s India-Pakistan cricket match.

It’s the second such controversy this week after a university in Meerut suspended a group of Kashmiri students for celebrating Pakistan’s victory in the Asia Cup match.

The expulsion came after a tense week at the Sharda University hostel where the Kashmiri students allegedly cheered for Pakistan. Another group protested that night, but the standoff escalated midweek after a student’s provocative comments on a social media network.

Tension rose after social media comments

The student cited the example of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University in Meerut, demanding similar action against the four Kashmiri students. The post elicited strong reactions and students started mobilizing on campus. When the situation threatened to go out of control, Sharda university authorities called police. Ranvir Singh, students’ welfare dean, said the university expelled them from the hostel to maintain discipline. All of them are first-year students.

“Some students cheered for the Pakistani team during the match, against which the other group protested. The matter was settled, but on March 5, a student posted a provocative message on a social networking site on why the campus wasn’t witnessing a similar reaction as that of Subharti University,” he said. The post has now been deleted.

Sharda University has started its own inquiry. “Students may be considered for reallocation of hostels after 15 days,” an official said.