JNU Students' Union and ABVP members clash on university campus

A clash broke out between members of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Students' Union and the ABVP on the university campus on January 5, sources told news agency PTI.

According to the news agency, the clash took place during a public meeting organised by the JNU Teachers' Association.

The students' union claimed that its president Aishe Ghosh and many other students were injured in stone pelting by ABVP members.

"I have been brutally attacked by goons wearing masks. I have been bleeding. I was brutally beaten up," Ghosh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

The news agency, quoting the Delhi government, also reported that seven ambulances have been sent to JNU, while 10 ambulances are on standby.

In a statement, JNU registrar Pramod Kumar said,"This is an urgent message for the entire JNU community that there is a law and order situation on the campus. Masked miscreants armed with sticks are roaming around, damaging property and attacking people. The JNU Administration has called the police to maintain order."

"This is the moment to remain calm and be on the alert.... Efforts are already being made to tackle the miscreants," he added

According to CNN News18, the incident started at around 4 pm when masked individuals allegedly carrying rods entered Sabarmati Hostel on the campus. According to the channel, a number of students have been injured in the incident.

JNUSU has claimed that the ABVP had earlier pelted stones at the students while they were reportedly protesting against fee hike.

The RSS-backed ABVP, however, alleged that its members were brutally attacked by Left-affiliated student outfits and 25 of them were injured.

"Around 25 students have been seriously injured in the attack and there is no information about whereabouts of 11 students. Many ABVP members are being attacked in hostels and the hostels are being vandalised by the Leftist goons," the ABVP said, according to PTI.

The JNUSU, on its part, has claimed that "ABVP members wearing masks were moving around on the campus with lathis, rods and hammers".

"They are pelting bricks...getting into hostels and beating up students. Several teachers and students have also been beaten up," the JNUSU claimed.

Members of the Left-backed student outfits alleged that outsiders were allowed to enter the campus and they barged into hostels, including girls' hostels.

Reacting to the incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that he was "shocked" to know about the violence inside JNU.

"I am so shocked to know abt the violence at JNU. Students attacked brutally. Police shud immediately stop violence and restore peace. How will the country progress if our students will not be safe inside univ campus? (sic)," he tweeted.

(With PTI inputs)