LUCKNOW: Allahabad University was hit by violence on Monday after students clashed with security guards. The protesting students set two bikes on fire and damaged the glass panes of a newly-constructed building and two cars.
A heavy contingent of police force was deployed on campus, with senior officers, including Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma and District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri, visiting the spot. The university registrar ordered the closure of the campus for a day following the violence.
As per sources, trouble began when an argument broke out between former student leader Vivekananda Pathak and some security personnel. Pathak said he had come to the bank located on the campus but was stopped by the guard, sources said. Their spat was apparently resolved after police intervention. However, Pathak said while he was sitting with students later, several guards came and began thrashing them. Pathak added that he along with LLB student Mait Kumar and some others were beaten up badly, resulting in a head injury to him. He claimed that the security guards also fired many rounds.
The sources added that the students regrouped and returned. The ruckus continued for two hours before senior officers reached the spot. “We are gathering related footage. We have got a complaint from the injured former student leader and after the medico-legal process, we will file an FIR,” Sharma said.
The university’s public relations officer, Prof Jaya Kapoor, rejected the students’ claim that security guards opened fire. “Some miscreants tried to break open the lock of the university gate. When stopped, they assaulted the guards. After this, they set vehicles and a generator on fire, damaged teachers’ cars, and torched a kiosk while firing in the air,” Kapoor said.
Campus shut for a day
Heavy police force was deployed on campus, with senior officers like Prayagraj Police Commissioner and District Magistrate visiting the spot. The university registrar ordered the closure of the campus for a day.