New Delhi: Violent clashes broke out between two student groups on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus in New Delhi late last evening allegedly over the serving of non-vegetarian food in a hostel even as the other student group had organised a havan on Sri Rama Navami.
At least 15 students were injured and taken to hospital. While a section of students said they were attacked by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) after they protested against the ABVP’s demand that non-vegetarian food be taken off the hostel’s dinner menu, the ABVP in turn blamed the violence on members of Left organisations on the campus.
Students said the violence broke out around 7:30 pm. While police said six students were injured, Left activists alleged the number was 50-60, while ABVP claimed it was 15-20, including 8-10 members of the outfit. Visuals emerged from the campus showing a student with a bloodied forehead, another with injuries on his back, and a third with a bleeding palm.
‘There is no violence as of now. A protest was held which is over. We are all positioned here with our team. On the request of the university, we have come here. We are trying to maintain peace,’ Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Manoj C said.
The police lodged an FIR under Sec -323/341/509/506/34 of the Indian Penal Code. ‘Further probe is on to collect evidence and identify culprits,’
Meanwhile, the ABVP denied that it had demanded the removal of non-vegetarian items from the menu and alleged that rumours were being spread by some students. ‘Common students were organising a puja on the occasion of Ram Navami at the Kaveri Hostel. Members of Left-leaning organisations at first disrupted the puja, due to which it got delayed, and then after it was over, they attacked students who attended the puja,’ Shivam Chaurasia, president of the ABVP’s JNU unit said.