Published 09:16 IST, January 6th 2020
JNU violence: Amit Shah speaks to Delhi CP; Home Ministry seeks report
Amit Shah spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner about the situation at JNU and ordered an inquiry by a senior police officer into the violence that broke out.
Advertisement
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik about the situation at JNU and ordered an inquiry by a senior police officer into the violence that broke out on Sunday night, officials said. The Home Ministry further sought a report from the Delhi Police about the situation prevailing in the prestigious institution and the steps taken to restore peace.
The Home Minister's office tweeted, "Union Home Minister has spoken to Delhi police commissioner over JNU violence and instructed him to take necessary action." "The honourable minister has also ordered an inquiry to be carried out by a joint CP-level officer and asked for a report as soon as possible," it said.
"The home minister has spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner and enquired about the violence at JNU," an official said. Amit Shah is also believed to have directed the police commissioner to take all possible steps to ensure peace at JNU.
JNU violence
Violence broke out at Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday night as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march. At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.
Eyewitnesses alleged the attackers entered the premises when a meeting was being held by JNU Teachers' Association on the issue of violence on campus and assaulted students and professors. They also barged into three hostels. Video footage aired by some TV channels showed a group of men, who were brandishing hockey sticks and rods, moving around a building. The Left-controlled JNUSU and the RSS-backed ABVP blamed each other for the incident.
Senior Union ministers and JNU alumni S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman too condemned the violence. Sitharaman said the pictures of violence were horrifying and asserted that the government wants universities to be safe spaces for all students. Amid allegations of delayed action, Delhi Police said it conducted a flag march and the situation was brought under control after it got a written request from the JNU administration to enter the campus. It, however, did not say if any arrests had been made.
There was a massive deployment of security personnel in and around the campus after the violence and the entrance gates were closed. The students' union alleged its members, including Ghosh, were injured in stone-pelting by ABVP members. The JNUSU claimed "ABVP members wearing masks were moving around on the campus with lathis, rods, and hammers". "They are pelting bricks...getting into hostels and beating up students. Several teachers have also been beaten up."
09:16 IST, January 6th 2020