Delhi University (DU) professor Prasanta Chakravarty, who was roughed up during the recent North Campus clashes, was hospitalised on Sunday due to severe abdominal pain as a result of internal injuries.
Prof. Chakravarty is an associate professor with the English department at the Arts Faculty.
He was admitted to the Fortis Hospital in Noida after he “passed out with shooting abdominal pain”.
The professor was allegedly beaten up by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members when he went to Ramjas College on February 22 to support the students who were taking out a march to defend ‘free speech’ and protesting against the stone pelting on campus against the seminar: ‘Culture of Protest’.
Prof. Chakravarty said he had been “diagnosed with contusion and concealed spasms on the right kidney and on spinal extensor muscles. Effected by heavy boot kicks perhaps... a few ribs have also been impaired that will require protracted treatment.”
About the atmosphere in the DU campus, prof. Chakravarty said: “You feel that you are under siege. It is no longer a place where you can relax and talk about academics. Delhi University was never like this.”
Blockade called off
The “committee of suspended students” along with the NSUI that had blocked the Administration Block at the JNU said on Sunday that they were calling off the blockade. Sunny Dhiman of the NSUI said “The move has been initiated after the rise of dissatisfaction among the karamcharis and students about the inconvenience.”
VC given time
He added that they were giving the Vice-Chancellor time until March 3 to meet the students and explain his stand. Diman said they were hoping for some relief from the High Court on March 3 when the matter would coming up before the court. The Registrar of JNU Pramod Kumar, however, said that he had not received any such assurance from the students.
