Students beaten up in clash with ABVP members

NEW DELHI: Teachers, students and journalists were allegedly assaulted during clashes on Delhi University campus on Wednesday over disruption of a literary festival in Ramjas College a day ago by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

Three Delhi University students were brought to Hindu Rao Hospital’s emergency on Wednesday afternoon, with minor injuries. “They have suffered cuts and bruises but nothing serious. We referred them to the surgical department as a precautionary measure,” said Dr AK Goyal, medical superintendent at the hospital.

Clashes began on Wednesday as some DU students, led by members of AISA and SFI, took out a march on Wednesday demanding action against the ABVP members who had disrupted Ramjas Literary Society function a day ago. The ABVP members had allegedly thrown bricks and shouted slogans forcing the college to cancel the event where JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid had been invited to speak.

As the protesters reached Arts Faculty, ABVP members tried to intercept the march by allegedly throwing bottles at the protesting students. They also allegedly snatched the phone of Shehla, who was to speak at the event on Wednesday. A student from the ABVP side tried to snatch the phone of the HT reporter and at least two other journalists were also attacked.

Police officials from Maurice Nagar police station formed a human chain to keep the protesters and ABVP members apart even as some students were seen carrying their bags over their heads to protect themselves. A student and DU’s English department faculty member Prasanta Chakraborty were taken to the hospital.

“I was beaten up by 15 people, possibly ABVP members... I was at the site, in solidarity with the protesting students,” Chakraborty told HT.

ABVP members and former DUSU president Satinder Awana said, “We cannot allow anti-nationals to speak on the campus. Only ordinary students are protesting against anti-nationals.”

The police told shopkeepers near Patel Chest to down their shutters to prevent vandalism.ABVP members sat outside Maurice Nagar police station, blocking the entry of others who wanted to go inside to lodge complaint. Both the sides filed cross complaints though no FIR has been filed so far.

A chain of policemen kept the two groups separated outside the police station, however, some protesters claimed that ABVP members threw eggs at them.