DU students move HC for action against cops

After a week of controversies and protests, the students from Delhi University’s law faculty have moved the Delhi high court seeking action against the policemen who allegedly assaulted students and journalists last week in the Ramjas College last week.

The plea, which has not yet been listed for hearing due to some error, has sought direction to constitute an independent committee of senior cops of Delhi police to probe the incident.

Ramjas College here had last week witnessed largescale violence between members of the AISA and the ABVP.

The genesis of the clash was an invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid to address a seminar on ‘Culture of Protests’ which was withdrawn by the college authorities following opposition by the ABVP.

Law student Tarun Narang, in the plea, has sought lodging of an FIR under various sections of the IPC, including assaulting a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty, against the cops and others who allegedly harassed and assaulted women students and journalists during the protest.

It also urged the high court to issue guidelines to law enforcement agencies while dealing with students and media on university campuses.

The law student in his plea said that the tension between the opposing groups of the students increased despite police presence, after which the situation turned violent.

The petition said “it is unfortunate that female students were manhandled by the Delhi police, who used excessive force on them, punched them, slapped them and thus outraged their modesty.”

The Delhi police had on Tuesday also registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with the rape threats issued to Delhi University (DU) student Gurmehar Kaur. This came after Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal issued a notice to the Delhi Police, asking them to provide details the case.