100-odd masked goons unleash terror on JNU students, teachers

New Delhi’s premier institution Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) witnessed one of the worst incidents of violence on Sunday (January 5) evening as 100-odd masked goons went on a rampage inside the campus, attacking students and faculty members with iron rods and other weapons.

JNU Students Union president Aishe Ghosh was brutally attacked and was seen in video saying, “I have been brutally attacked by goons wearing masks. I have been bleeding. I was brutally beaten up.” Her condition is said to be serious.

Besides, teachers including Suchitra Sen, Shukla Sawant, Sugata Bhaduri, Atul Sood and Garima Srivastava were also injured in the attacked, said JNU Teachers Association secretary Avinash Kumar in a WhatsApp message, while appealing for help.

Also read | JNU alumni Jaishankar and Sitharaman condemn violence on campus

Reports suggest at least 20 students and faculty members of the university were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre on Sunday evening with complaints of bleeding in head and abrasions among others. Of them, at least two are in critical condition.

The JNUSU said in a tweet professors who were trying to protect the students were also beaten up. “These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students. They have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate. Stay alert. Make human chains. Protect each other,” said a tweet by JNUSU’s official handle.

Ranjani Mazumdar, associate professor of Cinema Studies at the School of Arts and Aesthetics at JNU, said, “Students belonging to ABVP and police are moving around with lathis, rods, hammers with their faces under masks. They are pelting bricks, climbing over walls and getting into hostels and beating up students. Several teachers and students have also been beaten up.

“Students are trying to save themselves while being chased by ABVP goons while the police are complicit in their crimes. They are forcing students to chant Bharat Mata ki Jai slogans,” she added. Further, she told The Federal a mob was on the rampage outside the campus’ main gate, “shouting ‘andar ke desh ke gaddaron ko goli maro (shoot down the anti-nationals inside the campus).’”

Also read | JNU students lathi-charged, Delhi gets gridlocked

Atul Sood, another professor of the university, alleged large stones were thrown at the students and teachers. “Those were not small stones. Those were big stones that could have broken our skulls. I fell on the side and when I came out, I saw cars completely vandalised, including mine,” Professor Sood said.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav, who was present at the campus, alleged BJP leader Satender Awana went inside the campus under police protection and carried out violence. He also accused the police of stopping the media outside the campus.

We called police to campus: JNU registrar

The JNU administration said masked miscreants armed with sticks were roaming around on the campus, damaging property and attacking people, prompting it to call the police to maintain law and order.

After violence broke out on the campus, JNU registrar Pramod Kumar in a statement appealed to the students to remain calm and be on alert. “This is an urgent message for the entire JNU community that there is a law and order situation on the campus.

Also read | Thugs, fascists, storm troopers: Oppn slams govt on JNU ‘terror attack’

“Masked miscreants armed with sticks are roaming around, damaging property and attacking people. The JNU Administration has called the police to maintain order. This is the moment to remain calm and be on the alert…. Efforts are already being made to tackle the miscreants,” he added.

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. Meanwhile, the Left-controlled JNUSU and the ABVP blamed each other for the violence.

AIIMS doctors attacked on campus

A team of doctors from the AIIMS, who visited the campus, were also attacked and their ambulance was vandalised.

“Our team of doctors, nurses and medical volunteers who reached JNU to give first aid to injured students and teachers, was attacked by hundreds of goons. Mob manhandled doctors, nurses and threatened them. Our ambulance’s glass and windows broken. This is totally inhuman and insane”, tweeted Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, a resident doctor at AIIMS.

Union Home Minister orders inquiry

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 Ministry of Home Affairs also sought a report from the Delhi Police about the situation prevailing in the prestigious institution and the steps taken to restore peace. The Union HRD Ministry has also sought an immediate report from registrar Pramod Kumar on the violence.