Scuffle between students and security guards in JNU after protest over fellowship

New Delhi: A scuffle broke out in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here on Monday between a group of students and members of security staff, after the former gathered at the finance office demanding the release of fellowships.

The students, who were members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), accused the administration of carrying out an attack on them while the administration held students responsible for the incident.

The ABVP claimed that 12 students, including its JNU unit president Rohit Kumar, suffered injuries.

A senior police officer said the students of JNU have filed five complaints against two security officers Naveen Yadav and Surya Prakash.

"We have received the complaints and are looking into the matter," he said.

Meanwhile, the varsity said two security guards were beaten up mercilessly by the students, adding that strict action will be taken against those who are found guilty of disrupting the academic environment.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Manoj C, a few JNU students were demanding for distribution of scholarships for students which were pending for the last two years.

"Students staged a protest at the administration office. When the guards of JNU security tried to remove protesting students, a scuffle broke out between the students and guards on duty," the DCP said.

In an elaborate statement, JNU Registrar Ravikesh accused the students of barging into the Students and Project Section of the university and confining the staff to their seats only and stopping the exit and entry.

"At 10.30 am around 15 students barged into the students’ & project section of the university confining the staff to their seats only. Three senior officers of the university were rushed to the section to know the contention of these students so as to resolve the matter. But they totally refused for any dialogue," the statement read.

"As it was almost 1 pm and the staff were still confined in the section. Some officers were sent again to the section to appeal to these students to allow the staff to have their lunch but to no avail. These students were misbehaving with the staff, including lady staff present in the section," the statement added.

Ravikesh said the university authorities also reported about the development of medical problems among some staff members who were not allowed to move from the section.

An ambulance was immediately called but the protesting students did not allow even the ailing staff members to go outside, alleged the registrar.

"Some staff inside the hall had called police as they had developed serious health issues under confinement and mistreatment. Police personnel were present in their vehicle outside the building. But as the situation was getting serious, the university authority was left with no other option but to ask the unarmed security staff, not the police, to get the staff released to avoid any serious medical complications and further escalation of conflict between students and the staff," the registrar said.

"The moment these unarmed security guards tried to enter the section, the students started attacking them with chairs and smashing the glass panes of the section. There was utter chaos in the section," the statement said, adding the security guards managed to resuce the staff.

The safe rescue of the staff of the section seems to have irked these students and they started attacking badly the security guards wherever they found them alone, JNU said.

"Two security guards were beaten up mercilessly by these students and the guards were bleeding profusely. These students have also threatened the other security staff for another attack shortly. The injured guards were rushed to the University Health Centre for medical treatment," the statement added.

However, the ABVP has alleged that JNU administration carried out a violent attack on the students to suppress the scholarship "scam".

ABVP's JNU unit president Kumar said, "When the students went to admin seeking answers, JNU admin staff mocked and abused them. Also, students of JNU have alleged that they were beaten up by admin workers when they were simply demanding their fellowships." Meanwhile, JNU Teachers' Forum (JNUTF) strongly condemned the violence "unleashed" by JNU admin on the students.

"JNUTF strongly condemns the violence unleashed by JNU admin on afflicted students, who have been facing tremendous hardships due to non-payment of fellowships. Instead of empathising, the admin has acted in most heinous manner," JNUTF tweeted.