A day after violent clashes erupted on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, students on Monday organised a protest against the police action and accused the JNU Administration of apathy.
Trouble had broken out on Sunday afternoon after four outsiders arrived on the campus in a car, allegedly got drunk and misbehaved with girls. The four were later identified as Ankit Nanda, Gagan Kumar, Nitin Kapoor and Amit Chauhan.
While Ankit and Gagan are chartered accountants, the latter also a former JNU student, Nitin is a hotel management student and Amit is a shopping mall manager. The police have arrested them under non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code.
According to sources, the young men told security personnel at the JNU gate that they had come to visit a student in Room No. 113 of Kaveri Hostel. However, during investigations the room was found locked.
Progressive Students’ Union member Vibha, who was allegedly harassed by the intruders, said: “They were driving very fast. I was walking with a friend when they made obscene gestures at us and passed lewd remarks.”
Agitated students gathered at the spot and caught hold of the young men. Subsequently the police were called in.
However, tension escalated when the students demanded a public apology from the young men and refused to allow the police to take them out of the campus. At this point, additional forces were summoned leading to a clash between the police and students.
“It is for the first time in the history of JNU that the police came in such large numbers and lathi-charged the students. Tear-gas was used and the police spared no one. Teachers and students, including women, were beaten up,” charged JNU Students’ Union president Sandeep Singh on Monday.
“The Rector arrived rather late on the scene. Other than the Associate Dean, who was injured in the police assault, no one in the Administration came forward to help us. We want to know who within the Administration summoned the police in such large numbers. The chief security officer was also missing,” he added.
Some students were also allegedly detained by the police.
Several students and security personnel were injured in the police action on Sunday evening. “When I heard about the trouble, I rushed to the north gate. I sustained injuries on my hands and legs in the police action,” said Vishal Kumar of the Department of Languages.
Meanwhile, the State Organising Committee of the Socialist Unity Centre of India has condemned the police lathi-charge and tear-gas on JNU students on Sunday. The SUCI has also demanded action against those responsible for the indiscriminate lathi-charge.
