Law student slaps professor, held

A girl student of the University of Rajasthan allegedly slapped an associate professor outside the vice chancellor’s office in the university campus on Monday. The university has filed an FIR against the student and she has been arrested.

Ram Narayan Sharma, an associate professor of the geography department, who is also the associate proctor, was standing outside the vice-chancellor’s office on Monday when the student, Pooja Verma, assaulted him without any provocation.

In his complaint, Narayan said that he was outside the VC’s secretariat and talking to another associate professor, Ram Avtar Sharma. Students of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) were protesting nearby.

“A girl named Pooja Verma held me by my collar and assaulted me. She pushed me and tried to deter me from carrying out my official duty. The policemen intervened and took her away. After preliminary questioning, it emerged that she was instigated by another student by the name of Bhanwar Singh,” said the complaint.

A video of the incident shows the girl grabbing the professor by his collar and hitting him. An FIR has been lodged for assault to deter a public servant from discharge of duty, on the basis of the complaint received from the university, said Surendra Kumar, SHO, Gandhi Nagar.

According to the police, the girl said that she was angry with the university administration and assaulted the teacher in a fit of rage.

The girl is in police custody. Regarding the involvement of Bhanwar Singh, the police said that they will investigate the university’s claims in the FIR.

Abhimanyu Poonia, state president of NSUI, said that the girl, a law second year student at the university, was not an NSUI member. “NSUI protesters were demanding an increase in the number of seats and appointment of a full-time VC. The girl came out of nowhere and attacked the professor,” said Poonia.

The university chief proctor, Prof Vipin Tayal, said that he has written to the principal of the law college who will take necessary action against the girl.

Last year, the girl had announced that she would contest the students’ union elections and also held a few rallies but later she did not contest the polls.