NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday granted bail to all 14 students, including three office bearers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), arrested after a protest march on Thursday escalated into clashes with security personnel.
The judge granted the relief to the accused students on a bail bond of Rs. 25,000 each, while denying police request to send them to judicial custody.
The judge said that though any attack on police personnel was a serious matter and cannot be justified in the name of peaceful protest, however, “the offences invoked carry a maximum punishment of up to five years and that the accused are neither professional nor habitual offenders”.
During the hearing, the police argued that there was a strong likelihood they could resort to violence again.
The court directed the accused persons to cooperate with the ongoing investigation in the matter.
Those arrested include JNUSU president Aditi Mishra, secretary Gopika Babu, general secretary Danish Ali and former JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, police officials said.
The arrests followed a protest organised by the students’ union on Thursday, during which tensions rose between demonstrators and police.
According to the police, the march was part of continuing protests against the university Vice-Chancellor’s recent remarks made on a podcast, concerns over the implementation of UGC norms, the rustication of JNUSU office bearers and opposition to the proposed Rohith Act.
An FIR has been registered at Vasant Kunj North police station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including charges related to obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties, voluntarily causing hurt to deter officials from duty, and assault or use of criminal force against public servants.
Police claimed that the JNU administration had informed students that no permission had been granted for demonstrations outside the campus and advised them to confine their protest within university premises.
Despite this, around 400 to 500 students assembled and began marching towards the city, they said.
Police further claimed that protesters pelted banners and sticks, threw shoes and resorted to physical assault. “Some police personnel were bitten during the scuffle, and several officers sustained injuries,” the officer added.
The police said they intercepted the march near the North Gate of Jawaharlal Nehru University and gradually pushed the protesters back inside the campus to prevent further escalation.
Authorities said further investigation is underway, while student groups have continued to express opposition to the administration’s actions and the police response.