72 hours later, none arrested in JNU violence case

Three days have gone by after the violence in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) but not a single arrest has been made in the case even as government officials on Wednesday said police is close nabbing some of the "masked goons" who ran riot in the campus, injuring at least 35 students and teachers.

Officials said investigators in Delhi Police have got vital leads about the attackers and some of them have been "positively" identified. While students alleged that the ABVP activists have carried out the attack, a little-known Hindutva outfit Hindu Raksha Dal had taken "full responsibility" for the violence in the campus on Sunday.

They said investigators on the "verge of cracking the case" even as police faced flak for registering two cases against JNU Students' Union President Aishe Ghosh, who was badly injured in the violence, and "aiding the goons to leave the campus" without being arrested.

Police have been analysing video footage and using face recognition system to identify the culprits. Forensic experts also have visited the campus to collect evidence.

So far, the police have received around a dozen complaints, including one lodged by Professor Sucharita Sen and Ghosh in connection with the violence.

In her complaint, Sen said that the mob had acted in a pre-meditated manner with the common intention to cause grievous injuries, which in the ordinary course, could also lead to death, to faculty and students, including herself.

Ghosh in her complaint said, "I am shocked that such a large number of persons (100 or so) armed with deadly weapons attacked students in such a brutal and deathly assault, and both JNU administration and police failed in its duty to protect the lives of the students."

The campus is under heavy security cover since Sunday. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West) Devender Arya said the situation in JNU is under control. "At the request of JNU administration, the police presence will continue," he said.

Policemen in civil clothes have been deployed inside the campus while uniformed personnel are remaining outside the campus.