With the Students’ Union election in Dehradun-based Government-aided degree colleges, including DAV (PG) College, approaching, scuffles among the leaders of various student groups have left the district police worried. To quell the students belonging to rival camps indulging in stone-pelting in the DAV (PG) College on Tuesday, police used force. Moreover, police arrested a student leader on the charge of unleashing disorder in the college campus on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in regards to scuffles on Tuesday involving the supporters of Aryan Group and Pattu Group, the leaders of the rival camps had registered separate written complaints at Karanpur police post and demanded action against the rival group. It seems, to wrap up the issue, police have registered an FIR and a counter FIR under section 323 and 504 of IPC against Aryan Group members and Pattu Group members in the Karanpur police post on Tuesday. However, no follow-up action was taken so far. Karanpur police post in- charge and sub- inspector Baldev Singh sounded equivocal when asked to clarify regarding the arrest of the student leader on Tuesday evening.
He said in order to maintain law and order in the college, adequate police force have been deployed and local police and PAC jawans have been directed to intensify patrolling in the DAV (PG) College and DBS (PG) College areas to prevent untoward incidents and to take action promptly against those who take law in their hands.
Meanwhile, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) members met the DAV (PG) College principal Devendra Bhasin and demanded an increase in the seats for admissions in various bachelor degree courses in morning and evening classes in the college. The protesters also demanded extension of date for purchasing and submitting admission forms in the college. Bhasin, however, rejected outright the students’ demand and reiterated that the college will release its merit list on August 28 to be followed by admission.
In view of last day’s unrest and the possibility of such things flaring up again with the tension still simmering, the district administration has deployed additional police force in the DAV (PG) College campus on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. On Tuesday, too, scuffles recurred and police had to use force again to maintain order in the campus.
Police seem to have derived no lesson from the clash that had broken out between NSUI and ABVP members in July this year in which ABVP leader Rahul Roy was injured and admitted to the Doon Hospital where he got several stitches on his head. Observers say that ABVP, NSUI, Aryan Group, Pattu Group members do not fear of police because they are being patronised by
senior leaders of BJP and Congress. Police do not take action against the erring student leaders, though they are guilty of violating the law, for fear of being pressurised by senior leaders of both the parties. With things unlikely to change, such scuffles would keep recurring particularly against the backdrop of the students’ union election inching near.