‘Some professors shielded key accused’

Right-wing ABVP on Monday alleged that five JNU students, wanted by the police in a sedition case who reappeared in the campus after being on the run for over 10 days, were hiding in JNU professors’ residences in the campus and demanded an inquiry into the matter.

“We are very certain that these students are hiding in residences of professors on campus. We demand an inquiry into the same and the teachers supporting these students should also be penalised by the university, claimed JNU Students’ Union joint secretary Saurabh Kumar Sharma of the ABVP. Five JNU students, including Umar Khalid, who the police has been looking for in connection with a sedition case, surfaced on the campus on late Sunday evening and claimed they did not do anything wrong but were being framed using a doctored video.

“Last night they suddenly emerged on campus and proudly addressed rallies. A huge gathering of students and teachers even lauded them. We demand that the vice-chancellor intervene in this regard and direct the five students to surrender before the police. We want JNU administration, varsity security and the police to devise a strategy on how that could be facilitated without disrupting the peace on campus,” added Mr Sharma.

The ABVP also alleged that some faculty members have links to Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. “We have received information that around 10 JNU teachers have links with the ISI agent Gulam Nabi Fai. These faculty members are also pressurising students to support Umar Khalid and others misusing their position. A inquiry should be done against such members,” said Alok Singh, president of the ABVP JNU unit.

Meanwhile, family members of Kanhaiya Kumar, lodged in Tihar Jail, on Monday met him in the jail and delivered his mother's message, which said he should neither worry nor give any explanation to prove his innocence.

Kanhaiya’s elder brother Manikant and his uncle Rajendra Singh met him and enquired about his well-being. Manikant said his mother Meena Devi was concerned about Kanhaiya after the attack on him at the Patiala House court complex and wanted to ensure that he was doing well inside the jail. “My mother was concerned after the Patiala House court incident but she asked Kanhaiya to not to worry about all this,” Manikant said.