JNU clashes ABVP students conduct Sadbhavna Yatra in front of JNU
Two groups of students clashed on the Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) campus on Sunday, allegedly over serving of non-vegetarian food in the mess on Ram Navami. At least six students were injured in the scuffle between left-leaning students and members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP, though both sides claim many more were wounded.
The Delhi Police on Monday registered two FIRs in connection with the clash between two groups of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on the separate complaints given by student outfits even as the administration asserted that it has a zero-tolerance toward violence and urged both sides to exercise restraint. Students belonging to Left-affiliated AISA and others, and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) clashed over non-vegetarian food on the dinner menu of the Kaveri Hostel on Sunday evening when Ram Navmi was being celebrated.
Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Manoj C said an FIR has been registered based on a complaint received by a group of students who are members of the JNU Students Union, Students Federation of India, Democratic Students’ Federation, and All India Students Association. “FIR has been registered against unknown ABVP members,” he said. Another set of complaints was received by a group of students who are members of ABVP. “This FIR has been registered against unknown members of JNUSU, SFI, and DSF,” the DCP said.
They (ABVP) attacked us with rods, flower pots... injuring students, 2 guards. Despite intimating police of possible violence in the evening itself, there was no action.Even when violence broke out, we were threatened in front of police, but no action by them: JNU Students' Union https://t.co/SDXpCwN6VW
— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2022
Both FIRs were registered under identical sections of the Indian Penal Code --- 323 (causing hurt), 341 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (insulting modesty of a woman), and 34 (common intention), the DCP said. He said police will gather “scientific evidence” and statements of all involved will be recorded.
A senior police officer said that CCTV footage from the place where the incident took place and nearby places was being obtained, and videos posted on social media will also be analyzed to identify the suspects. A crime team was also called to the spot on Monday, the officer said. In a statement on Monday, JNU said the clash took place after some students objected to a havan at Kaveri Hostel on Ram Navmi -- a charge that members of ABVP had leveled against its Left-affiliated counterparts.
image source India today
JNU registrar Ravikesh said, “There was a scuffle on the JNU campus on April 10, 2022, between student groups. It was the occasion of Rama Navmi and havan that was organized by the students in the Kaveri Hostel and some students were objecting to this. The wardens and the Dean of Students tried to pacify them and the havan was concluded peacefully. Despite this, some groups of students were not happy with this and soon after, at the time of dinner, a ruckus was created over there and heated arguments were followed by an altercation between both the groups in the hostel.”
image source the wire
Earlier, in a separate communication, the university said that it has a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of violence, and warned the students to “refrain from any such incident that disturbs the peace and harmony on (the) campus.” Nearly 50 students aligned with Left outfits were detained on Monday afternoon when they tried to move towards the Delhi Police headquarters to protest against Sunday’s incident. DCP (New Delhi) Amrutha Guguloth said 70 AISA members were detained and that a case under sections 188 and 323 IPC was registered.
