NEW DELHI: A group of masked goons armed with sticks and rods unleashed a reign of terror in Jawaharlal Nehru University here on Sunday evening, attacking students of at least three hostels and vandalising university property. The administration was forced to call in the police, which conducted a flag march.
JNU students union president Aishe Ghosh and Prof Sucharita Sen, head of the Centre for the Study of Regional Development, were among the 20 who were admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The condition of two of them is critical.
“Masked miscreants armed with sticks are roaming around, damaging property and attacking people. The JNU administration has called the police to maintain order. This is the moment to remain calm and be on the alert,” said a statement from the JNU administration.
In videos on social media, Ghosh was seen with a severe head injury and bleeding heavily. “I have been brutally attacked and beaten up by goons. I am bleeding and not in a condition to talk,” Aishe said. Prof Sen also suffered head injuries.
While the Delhi Police are yet to issue a statement identifying the culprits, the JNUSU, faculty members and activists such as Yogendra Yadav blamed the RSS backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) for the violence. “ABVP terrorists from DU entered campus in large numbers with iron rods. They have been told to single out students’ representatives,” JNUSU tweeted. Another video emerged of JNU’s Sabarmati hostel being vandalised by masked people in sticks and creating terror.
“Professors who were trying to protect us have been beaten up. These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students, they have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate,” the student’s body tweeted.
For its part, the ABVP claimed, “Around 25 students have been seriously injured in this attack and there is no information about the whereabouts of 11 others. Around 400-500 members of the Left wing gathered around the Periyar hostel, vandalised the hostel and forcibly entered the hostel to thrash ABVP activists inside,” said ABVP’s JNU unit president Durgesh.
It also claimed that its presidential candidate Manish Jangid had a fractured arm because of the assault. But JNUSU vice-president Saket Moon said in a WhatsApp message to the media: “ABVP has formed a mob of goons from outside JNU. They are going room to room with sticks, stones.”
According to students, the atmosphere was tensed since morning with reports of minor scuffles at different points inside the campus. The situation turned violent after masked goons attacked a peace march by teachers and students against violence on the campus. “A group was seen marching towards hostels with sticks, rods and bats. First they started pelting stones and then rushed inside the hostels, mainly Sabarmati, Periyar and Kaveri, thrashing whoever they encountered,” said a PhD scholar.
“About 20 ABVP students gathered in front of Periyar hostel with sticks, bats, rods and wickets shouting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Mataram’. Can’t say if they were from JNU,” another student said.
Battleground JNU: What triggered the latest clashes?
What started with a minor scuffle between two groups of JNU students over registration in the new semester, within days turned the varsity campus into a battle field on Sunday, leaving several students and teachers severely injured. (READ MORE)
JNU students recall fearful moments of campus violence
A girl student recounted those moments in tears, "I was in the room and I heard loud noises and I saw many girls coming. I asked everyone to lock their rooms. We were in terror. While I was trying to take a video clip, they hit me with a stone." (READ MORE)
Prohibitory orders imposed in JNU after violence
Prohibitory orders have been clamped on JNU campus in the aftermath of the violence unleashed by masked attackers on Sunday evening. With tension on the rise and the university on the boil, Section 144 has been imposed in the area. (READ MORE)
Jadavpur University teachers body horrified by JNU violence
"Astonished and horrified" at the violence unleashed against students and teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) by masked miscreants, the Jadavpur University Teachers'Association (JUTA) on Sunday called upon all sections of society to condemn the "heinous act". (READ MORE)
JNU re-issues statement on violence after recalling it
In wake of the unprecedented violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday, the varsity administration said there was a "law and order situation" in the campus and police had been called to maintain order. (READ MORE)
Twitter war rages over JNU violence
As reports of violence on Jawaharlal Nehru University campus came in on Sunday evening, Twitter saw eruption of a war of words between supporters of Leftist students' body and those on the opposite side, with both blaming the other for the violence. (READ MORE)
Attack on JNU students 'state-sponsored mayhem', alleges Congress
The Congress alleged that the attack on JNU students by masked miscreants on Sunday was "state-sponsored mayhem" and asked whether this was a "revenge by the Modi government" against students and youth. (READ MORE)
Arvind Kejriwal urges Lt Governor to direct police to restore order on JNU campus
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he spoke to Lt Governor Anil Baijal shortly after violence erupted at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and urged him to direct police to restore order on the campus. (READ MORE)
HRD minister ‘Nishank’ urges JNU students to maintain peace, ministry seeks report
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' urged JNU students to maintain the dignity of the university and peace on the campus, as his ministry sought an immediate report from the registrar Pramod Kumar on the violence that erupted there on Sunday night. (READ MORE)
Union Ministers Jaishankar, Sitharaman condemn violence at JNU campus
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, both alumni of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, condemned the violence at the varsity on Sunday evening. (READ MORE)
Priyanka Gandhi reaches AIIMS, meets injured JNU students
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reaches AIIMS in Delhi to meet the JNU students injured during violence at the campus. (READ MORE)
(With inputs from Online Desk and Agencies)