Police and JNU students were injured after they clashed during a students’ union rally here on Thursday, with the police claiming they were assaulted but the protesters, several of whom were arrested, alleged that the cops used excessive force against them.
The police said that the protesters pelted sticks and shoes and resorted to physical assault, as a result of which several policemen were injured, some of whom were even “bitten” during the scuffle. The police have lodged an FIR against the students.
Around 25 police personnel, including ACP Ved Prakash, ACP Sanghamitra, SHO Atul Tyagi and SHO Ajai Yadav, were injured, the police said.
JNU Students Union (JNUSU) president Aditi Mishra and former president Nitish Kumar were among 51 protesters arrested after students clashed with police at the college gate when they tried to take the march out of the campus.
The police said in a statement that the students had issued a call to organize a “long march” from the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus to the Education Ministry office.
The march was part of the ongoing protests over recent statements made by JNU Vice-Chancellor Santyshree Dholipudi Pandit in a podcast on implementation of University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, ruralization of JNUSU office bearers, and the proposed Rohith Bill.
The demonstrators also claimed that excessive force was used against them, resulting in the injury of several students. The police took some demonstrators to “unconfirmed locations,” according to what the university’s faculty announced.
JNUSU also alleged that BR Ambedkar’s photo was damaged during police action. Purported videos of the clash have surfaced online, including one showing a photo of Ambedkar being snatched from protesters. PTI was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
The JNU administration informed the protesting students that no permission had been granted for any protest outside the campus and advised them to restrict their demonstration inside the university premises, the police said.
Despite this, between 400 and 500 students gathered on campus and began a protest march, they said. At approximately 3:20 p.m., the demonstrators exited through the main gate and attempted to head toward the ministry.
A senior police officer said, “The barricades placed outside the campus were damaged as the situation escalated. The demonstrators threw banners and sticks, threw shoes and resorted to physical assault. Some police personnel were bitten during the scuffle, leading to injuries to a number of officers deployed at the spot.”
Police personnel stopped the protesters at the northern gate of the JNU campus and gradually brought them back inside the university building.
“We arrested some protesters. Some protesters made allegations that the police manhandled them, which are completely baseless. Every officer who was deputed there was maintaining law and order,” the officer told PTI.
In a statement issued, the JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) condemned what it said was the “brutal use of force” by the police. She claimed that many students, including women, were injured, and expressed concern about the safety of detainees, claiming that some had been taken to “unconfirmed locations.”
JNUTA also claimed that the police action was aimed at preventing students from exercising their democratic right to march and demanded the immediate release of all detained students.
JNUSU issued an urgent appeal asking its supporters to gather at the main gate of JNU in the evening as the police arrested several students.
“The protesters at JNUSU are demanding implementation of the UGC regulations. This is in violation of the Hon’ble Supreme Court which has issued a stay on the regulations. Neither the JNU Vice-Chancellor nor the Registrar has any powers over the regulations,” the university said in an official statement.
She added that according to the university administration, JNUSU “refused to address the underlying issue of students who were displaced due to ‘vandalism and violence’ unleashed on the campus.”
“The students involved were held responsible and detained in the countryside, after a monitored investigation,” the statement read.
“JNU is a public university and is therefore accountable to the government, Parliament and Indian taxpayers. It is unfortunate that the OBC Vice-Chancellor is being attacked based on false allegations, just to divert attention from the issue of violence and vandalism of public property,” the university said in its statement.
The police registered an FIR against the students under BNS sections 221 (obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his public function), 121 (1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from his duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty) and 3 (5) (common intention) at North Vasant Kunj police station.
