LUCKNOW: Lucknow University was closed till further orders following a brawl among a group of students and teachers leaving around a dozen of them injured here on Wednesday. The students, claiming themselves to be the members of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha (students wing of Samajwadi Party) were protesting over admission to the new academic session.
As per the university sources, all the senior professors and officials including proctor Vinod Singh, dean of students welfare, chief provost Sangita Rani and dean CDC, officers and guards were injured when a group of around 25-30 students, joined by some outsiders and anti-social elements, attacked them on campus while the counselling for admission to PG courses was on.
"The University has been closed sine die and the counselling going on for the admissions has also been stopped. We are going to lodge an FIR in this connection against those whom we have identified," said Vice-Chancellor SP Singh who claimed that he might have also been attacked had he not saved by the colleagues and reached his office.
As per the university officials, all those involved in the attack were not university students. This is the second instance in the last 12 years that Lucknow University has been closed sine die due to student unrest.
Prior to this, in 2006, the campus had remained closed for over a month when students union elections were barred following Lyngdoh Committee report. "Three persons have been arrested in this connection. We are awaiting a complaint by the university administration," said SP Harendra Kumar. In fact, over 20 ex-students had been protesting on the campus since Monday seeking admission to PG courses.
As per the sources, all those students were expelled last year for creating trouble during a visit of the CM to the campus and obstructing his convoy. Their expulsion, however, was revoked on the condition that they would complete their courses and leave the campus and that they won't be given admission in any other course in future.
The police had then arrested 11 students and most of them were the members of left-wing All India Students' Association (AISA) and the Samajwadi Party's student wing Chhatra Sabha. But all those students appeared in entrance test of various courses last month. They were protesting to mount pressure on authorities for admission despite being blacklisted by the varsity administration.
When asked about the row over admissions, the VC said, "There are laid-down procedures for admission to the university. It cannot be given against norms." The Lucknow University Teachers Association (LUTA) has called a meeting tomorrow to discuss their next course of action.