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Some students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi were injured in a clash between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-backed groups. The altercation, reportedly sparked by disputes over the selection of election committee members at the School of Languages, spiralled out of control and escalated into violence.
An official of the university said some students have been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital, reported PTI.
JNU student union (JNUSU) has been conducting school-level general body meetings for the selection of election committee members.
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In a video widely circulated on social media platform X, a man can be seen thrashing students with a stick. In another video, a person is seen throwing a bicycle at students.
Other purported videos from the incident showed individuals being mobbed and beaten up by a group even as security personnel of the university tried to rescue them.
Both groups have blamed each other for the clash that ensued over the selection of election committee members. They have also filed police complaints against each other.
“We have received complaints from both sides. We are examining the complaints. The Police have come to know about three injured,” Delhi Police said.
The All India Students’ Association (AISA) alleged that ABVP members, led by Kanhaiya Kumar, resorted to physical violence against students after their attempts to disrupt the selection process were thwarted. The Left-wing student organisation, affiliated with the Communist Party of India Liberation, further alleged that ABVP members targeted and beat common students indiscriminately.
“They singled out the Muslim students and they opposed whenever any Muslim student propose their names for upcoming election committee. They also vitiated the atmosphere of school GBM premises by threatening students, by sexist and casteist slurs,” it added.
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ABVP JNU President Umesh Chandra Ajmeera alleged that Left-leaning students were attempting to rig the election process during the GBM. He claims that objections were raised by students of the School of Languages, leading to a halt in the entire process for more than 3-4 hours.
“Aishe Ghosh (JNU president) and Danish (AISF member) said contradictory things. Students were raising objections…Demands were being made to disclose the names, withdraw those names, and have selection through a free and fair process. The Left students started heckling amid this and attacked students by using ‘dafli’ as weapons,” he added.
No immediate response was available from the university administration and the number of students injured during the incident could not be confirmed.
The incident has reignited concerns over the escalating tensions between different student factions within JNU, known for its politically charged atmosphere and active student body involvement in socio-political issues.
(With PTI inputs)