JNU Student Protest Escalates: 28 Detained Following Clash With Delhi Police

The Delhi Police stated that six personnel suffered injuries during the confrontation.

New Delhi:

The Delhi Police has refuted allegations by Left-affiliated student organizations from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) claiming they were attacked on Saturday. Authorities confirmed that 28 students were detained while they attempted to march and surround the Vasant Kunj police station in South Delhi.

The student groups were protesting what they perceived as inaction against members of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), who allegedly assaulted students associated with the Left groups. This prompted them to organize a march toward the police station.

According to the protesting students, they faced physical assault by police officers at JNU's West Gate. However, Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Goel presented a different account, stating that approximately 70-80 students exited the campus at 6 pm with the intention of surrounding the police station. When authorities attempted to halt their progress by establishing barricades, a clash ensued between the students and police personnel.

The confrontation resulted in injuries to six police officers, while 28 students were detained, including key JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) leaders: President Nitish Kumar, Vice President Manisha, and General Secretary Munteha Fatima.

This police confrontation followed an earlier incident of violence during a general body meeting (GBM) of the School of Social Sciences on Friday. The Left-affiliated groups alleged that ABVP members physically assaulted a female student by grabbing her throat and attacked several others. Conversely, the ABVP claimed that Left-wing students were the aggressors, attacking a female student and subsequently assaulting others.

An ABVP statement declared, "Leftist students began spreading false stories, tearing their shirts, and staging drama to portray themselves as victims."

JNUSU elections are anticipated to take place next month.

(With inputs from PTI)