JNU authorities vow to crack down on unruly behaviour after late-night clash on campus

New Delhi: After late-night clashes at the Jawaharlal Nehru University left several students injured, the university authorities on Monday said it has taken serious note of the incident and warned of strict action against any unruly behaviour.

Tensions flared on the campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) after a protest turned violent around 1.30 am on Monday, with both the Left-led students’ union and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) accusing each other of violence and stone-pelting. A statement issued by the JNU registrar said it is committed to safeguarding the academic environment on campus, and warned of strict action under the university rules and the BNS against any unruly behaviour.

“It has come to the notice of the JNU administration that several academic buildings inside the campus were reportedly locked by a group of protesting students. The protesters entered the central library and reportedly threatened the unwilling students and intimidated them to join the protest."

"It is learnt that this led to a scuffle between two student groups on campus. The JNU administration has taken very serious cognisance of these disturbing incidents," the statement said.

Urging all the stakeholders to maintain peace, it said classes and other activities are continuing on the campus as scheduled.

Right-wing student body ABVP claimed that the protest turned violent after Left-backed groups attacked students studying in the reading rooms.

“Many students were locked up in bathrooms. Left-backed students demanded the closure of all the reading rooms,” ABVP state secretary Vikas Patel alleged, claiming that masked people carrying sticks and stones spread violence on the campus.

The Left-backed JNUSU had called for a protest march, ‘Samta Juloos’, to the East Gate on the campus on Sunday night, demanding the resignation of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and the revocation of a rustication order.

The protesters alleged that the administration did not engage with them and instead allowed the ABVP members to confront them.