Police shut LU gate to prevent expelled student leader’s entry
LUCKNOW: Students at the University of Lucknow faced inconvenience on Friday, as the police in consultation with the varsity administration shut the ‘Bhaoras Deoras’ gate facing Hanuman temple, to prevent the entry of an expelled student leader who was released from jail after four months.
As the 30-minute closure went unannounced, students struggled to reach their classes on time and had to walk 300m extra.
Chief proctor Vinod Singh said the police did so to prevent the entry of student leader Ashish Mishra (Boxer). “He wanted to take a round of the campus with his supporters after performing a ritual on Hanuman Setu,” said Singh, adding, “The police felt they would be unable to identify Mishra, so they shut the gate. Students had to travel extra to enter the campus from gate number 4.”
Insiders said the gate that was closed did not have enough check points. Mishra, a leader of Samajwadi Party Chhatra Sabha, said he wanted to visit the campus to thank students for their support.
He was sent to jail with others after a group of student leaders beat up varsity teachers and proctor in July. The LU administration had prevented students from staging a peaceful protest. However, chief proctor claimed that Mishra was an expelled student. “He was expelled in 2016-17 after fraudulently taking admission in law by changing initials in his father’s name. He made a representation to the governor, but got no relief,” he said.