Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Last Update : 03:23 AM IST
Several hurt as cops lathicharge JNU students marching to House
Journalists manhandled, cameras taken away by cops.
New Delhi: Unruly scenes of violence broke out on Friday afternoon when a large number of JNU students and teachers were stopped from marching to the Parliament over various demands, including academic freedom, with police resorting to lathi-charge and use of water canons.
Two female journalists from a leading daily said that they were manhandeled by the police and even snatched away their cameras. The protesting students claimed that the “attack” by the police was “unprovoked” with a woman journalist alleging that a man in uniform “groped” her and asked her to vacate the place.
According to the woman scribe, the station house officer of Delhi Cantonment first misbehaved with the male scribe and later he came back and allegedly pushed her by placing his hands on her chest.
The protesters were demanding suspension of Atul Johri, a professor accused of sexually harassing students, and rollback of compulsory attendance.
The JNUTA had announced the march on Wednesday after claiming the university’s administration had not reached out to the faculty members who have been on the hunger strike, to protest the new rules and sackings.
Irate students clashed with police personnel at INA Market area when they were asked to end their march. The police also baton charged the protesters, injuring many, the students said.
The police deployed at the spot fired water cannons to quell the unrest. The students and teachers held a march from the university campus to the Parliament to register their protest against privatisation of education and demanding suspension of Johri.
According to sources, the students and teachers ran over the barricade, after which the police used force. Later on, the police detained the protesters. The students submitted a letter to the university authorities, expressing their displeasure at Prof. Johri’s bail and demanding his suspension. The angry students went to the extent of questioning the administration, asking it that on whose side it was.
