“It has been four days... Where is my son? Bring him back...”
An inconsolable Fatima, the mother of missing Jawaharlal Nehru University student Najeeb Ahmed, has been repeating this line continuously outside the Administration Block on JNU campus since she arrived at the university. Observing a university strike around her on Tuesday were various student, who demanded the need for the administration to take a more pro-active role in finding Najeeb, as well as investigating the incident.
Meanwhile, a political battle has been brewing over the incident between the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) and members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) about what exactly happened on the night of October 14 that compelled Najeeb to leave campus the next day after asking his family to visit him on campus.
His mother said: “My son is missing, but the boys who attacked him are roaming freely. What sort of a situation is this?”
After being slammed for saying that the matter had been “resolved” and calling Najeeb an accused in the incident, the university in a statement on Tuesday said it was making all efforts to resolve the incident that took place at Mahi-Mandavi Hostel. “The Delhi Police have been approached to investigate the matter and the administration is regularly in communication with them. All PCR vans in Delhi and all senior superintendents of police throughout India have been alerted, and efforts are being made to trace the student,” informed the university.
JNU added that the police had intimated all six neighbouring States and put up information about Najeeb on Zip-net in northern zone. Besides this, all relevant central agencies, including the NCRB (National Crime Record Bureau) and the missing section of the Central Bureau of Investigation have been requested for help. The university has also initiated a Proctorial inquiry to investigate the incident and has reached out to students to maintain peace on campus. JNU added that it was “highly concerned that some vested interests are trying to vitiate the atmosphere on campus at a time when the administration is focusing on tracing Najeeb”.
Late on Monday night, hundreds of students marched to the Vasant Kunj police station to file a complaint of assault. “After futile talks with the administration, JNUSU has filed a complaint along with all eyewitnesses of the altercation between Najeeb and ABVP members in the hostel. Hundreds of students present at the police station on Monday signed a complaint letter demanding urgent action by the police,” informed JNUSU.
The APVP, too, carried out protests on campus and asked for protection for Vikrant Kumar, Ankit Kumar and Sunil — the three students who had reached Najeeb’s room while campaigning for the hostel mess committee election. According to the APVP, Najeeb slapped the students without provocation. It has demanded that the administration probe the role of Najeeb’s room-mate Quasim and JNUSU president Mohit Pandey, who they allege have been giving inconsistent statements about what happened that night.
The JNU Teachers’ Association has called for protests on Wednesday to press upon the university to ensure Najeeb’s safe return and a fair inquiry into the concerted violence.
All PCR vans in Delhi and all senior superintendents of police throughout India have been alerted, and efforts are being made to trace the student
