Hisar, Apr 17 (PTI) Six people were detained on Friday in connection with the violence that unfolded during a protest at the Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology (GJU S&T) here a day earlier, police said.
Tensions gripped the university after the authorities denied permission to let the JJP’s youth wing hold an event on the campus, triggering a massive protest.
Around 250-260 people, including JJP youth wing workers, gathered at the Yadav Dharamshala community centre near the campus around 12.10 pm and took out a march towards the vice-chancellor’s office, police said.
During the march, led by JJP’s youth wing chief Digvijay Chautala, a scuffle broke out between the police stationed there and the protesters, who tried to break into the VC’s office near gate no 3.
“The unruly mob not only obstructed public servants in the discharge of their official duties but also forcibly entered the campus and damaged the gate of the Vice-Chancellor’s (VC) office, thereby creating an atmosphere of panic within the premises,” the police statement said.
Police booked the protesters for criminal trespass, rioting, damage to public property, and allegedly assaulting police personnel.
They said efforts are underway to identify others involved in the violence, and they are scouring CCTV footage and gathering other evidence.
Hisar Superintendent of Police (SP) Siddhant Jain vowed to punish the agitators.
“No unruly element that attempts to disrupt law and order will be spared. Causing damage to public property and assaulting police personnel are grave offences. The Hisar Police remain committed to maintaining peace,” he said in a statement.
Chautala accused the college administration of adopting what he termed as “repressive policy towards students..
“We sought permission from the GJU administration to understand the students’ grievances and to engage in a dialogue with them. However, the administration did not respond. In contrast, the GJU administration granted immediate permission for any programme organised by the BJP,” he alleged.
He said that the GJU administration must change its attitude towards the students and resolve their legitimate issues.
“JJP’s student organisation, INSO, stands firmly with the students, and resolving their problems is our top priority,” he added.
However, the police said that the university administration gave no permission for the ‘Student Dialogue’ programme, citing security concerns and past experiences.
GJU Vice-Chancellor Narsi Ram Bishnoi, in a statement on Thursday, condemned the incident and pointed out a past instance when a member of the JJP’s youth wing created a ruckus on the campus.
Bishnoi said that on August 5, 2019, an INSO member had booked the university’s Main Hall to celebrate the outfit’s Foundation Day.
“Significant damage was caused to the auditorium on that day. In accordance with university regulations, a fine of Rs 1 lakh was subsequently imposed by the university to cover the cost of the damage. However, this amount remains unpaid. This served as a primary reason why the university, adhering to its regulations, could not grant INSO access to the auditorium for any future events until the outstanding fine amount was fully settled,” he said.
On the Thursday protest, Bishnoi stated that Digvijay Chautala and his supporters laid a siege to his office and thus violated the dignity and discipline of the university.
“Under the guise of a protest, certain individuals arrived with the intent of engaging in hooliganism. They did not even submit a formal list of demands,” he said.
The vice-chancellor claimed that there was a significant number of outsiders among the protesters, who engaged in vandalism with the specific objective of creating disorder within the university. PTI COR SUN VN VN
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