JNU attack: Hostel residents vacate premises fearing for safety 

Surya Prakash, a visually-impaired student who was studying in his room at the Sabarmati hostel was one of the victims of the attack by the mob that entered the campus on Saturday.
Surya Prakash, a visually-impaired student, who was attacked by masked intruders inside his room on Sunday | Shekhar Yadav
Surya Prakash, a visually-impaired student, who was attacked by masked intruders inside his room on Sunday | Shekhar Yadav

NEW DELHI: Scared and scarred, students staying in the hostels of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) left “for safety” on Monday.

Surya Prakash, a visually-impaired student who was studying in his room at the Sabarmati hostel was one of the victims of the attack by the mob that entered the campus on Saturday.

“They broke open my door and started beating me up. I kept saying that I am visually impaired, but they were not ready to listen. I called the police for help but they refused to assist me,” Prakash alleged.

Prakash said that the mobsters included people who were well acquainted with the hostel’s layout.

“They were clearly guided as to where to go and how to execute their attack. One guy was giving direction and saying room no 126, 156 and so on. That’s how they were manoeuvring through the hostel,” said Prakash.

Meanwhile, the campus continued to remain tense even as the administration appealed for calm and asked its students not to leave. Pooja Chetri and Narmada Doley, both hailing from Assam, who reside in Koyna hostel, left with their luggage for their friends and relatives place.

“We’re going to my aunt’s place in Delhi for two days. If the situation gets better, then we might come back, but if things remain the same, we will go to our hometown,” Doley said. Students of other hostels, as well, left fearing for their safety.

The wardens of Sabarmati hostel later resigned on Monday, stating in their resignation letters that they were quitting on “moral grounds” as they were unable to provide security to the hostel residents.

Forced resignation?
Sources close to the wardens of Sabarmati, alleged that a group of students cornered and forced them
to resign.

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The New Indian Express
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