According to media reports, students of both Akhil Bharatiya Vidya Parishad (ABVP) and those aligned with Left parties appear to be involved in the violence which rocked Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Sunday. Outsiders are also said to be involved and are being identified by the cops. The Delhi police have filed 4 FIRs in the case which is being probed by the Crime Branch. The cops have filed the case on charges of unlawful assembly, rioting with armed weapons, damage to public property and disturbance of public peace.
According to the JNU administration, the trigger for protests initially was the boycott call of exams following which the registration process was hampered. This led to scuffles between those blocking registration and others supporting it—both from the two divergent groups. This is being cited as the starting point of trouble on the JNU campus. Police have booked the JNUStudents Union (JNUSU) president Aishe Ghosh, along with 19 others for vandalizing the server room in an incident which took place on January 4.
Media reports state quote Delhi police sources as saying that on Sunday, the Periyar hostel was attacked first, followed by a retaliatory confrontational Sabarmati hostel where 20 students were injured. Police are said to be closely scrutinizing social media communication including WhatsApp chats. Police are also scanning CCTV footage and videos which went viral after the violence on the campus, as also the register at the main gate. Though no arrests have been made yet it is likely that some would be made soon after identification of the miscreants. Meanwhile, the students of Left parties continued to point a finger at ABVP, while the student’s wing of BJP is blaming SFI and other Left student organizations.
