LUCKNOW: Amid massive commotion between students and the Proctorial Board of Banaras Hindu University (BHU), over a dozen (13) students, including three girls, associated with Bhagat Singh Chhatra Morcha were arrested by Lanka police for their alleged plans to burn copies of Manusmriti on the campus on the Christmas day.
As per sources, the incident took place when students associated with Bhagat Singh Chatra Morcha reportedly wanted to hold a discussion on Manusmriti. However, the word went out that they were planning to burn copies of Manusmriti, following which members of the proctorial board of the university tried to stop them.
Students, including some former and some current, had also clashed with the proctorial staff. Initially, 10 students were apprehended while three were taken into custody later. All the 13 arrested students were produced in court and sent to jail under judicial custody.
A team of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) also reached the Lanka police station to interrogate the accused to investigate their “connection to the urban Naxalites.” The Lanka police lodged the case on the basis of the complaint submitted by BHU chief proctor Prof SP Singh on December 25.
As the Proctorial Board members attempted to disperse the crowd and pacify the protesting students, the perpetrators attacked the security guards and vandalized the premises, disrupting government work. The scuffle caused serious injuries to two female security guards.
Lanka police station Inspector Shivakant Mishra claimed that the complaint mentioned that the students attacked security guards, damaged property and interfered with government activities which resulted in inflicting wounds. The two injured female personnel are being treated at the BHU trauma centre.