JAMIA STUDENT ‘THRASHED’ FOR CELEBRATING DIWALI, PROBE ON

NEWDELHI: A law faculty student of Jamia Millia Islamia University has filed a case against seven people, including four fellow students, for allegedly thrashing him for celebrating Diwali on the campus on October 12, police said on Wednesday.

Ajay Kumar Jha, the law student, in his complaint also alleged that the students in question threatened to kill him and mocked him and his religion. He alleged that they assaulted him because of which he suffered internal head injuries, and bruises on his neck and chest.

When HT contacted Jha, he refused to speak about the case.

Talat Ahmad, the vice chancellor of Jamia, said that the incident was a scuffle between two groups of students during the freshers’ party, and the university had issued show cause notices to both the parties seeking an explanation within the week.

“There wasn’t anything communal about the fight. It seems like the student were influenced by groups with vested interests,” he said.

In his complaint, a police officer said, Jha said that on October 12, he along with some students celebrated Diwali on the main campus . In the evening, Jha went to attend the freshers’ party organised at the law faculty.

While he was returning, some fellow students along with some outsiders surrounded him and started abusing him over the Diwali celebration matter, said the officer.

“When Jha protested, the group of students attacked him and thrashed him . As Jha fell on the ground, some of the atatckers allegedly shouted anti-hindu slogans. Jha was rescued by his friends and one of them called the police,” said the officer.

Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (southeast), said that a case of wrongful restraint and voluntarily causing hurt was registered