Irate over Delhi Police for trying to cart off a student on hunger strike on Campus, agitating students torched the vehicle of Maurice Nagar Station House Officer (SHO). This is the fourth incident of violence reported from the North Campus in the last 30 days, a police official said.
The incident took place near the Faculty of Arts on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. Additional force was summoned and the situation was brought under control. A case of rioting, arson and preventing Government servants from performing their duty has been registered at the Police Station and five students have been arrested.
With Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections slated to be held on Friday, the north district police have deployed more men in uniform to temper the situation in the politically surcharged North Campus.
According to a senior police official of the north district, the incident took place around 1.30 am. Praveen, a research scholar, was sitting on a fast unto death since the last 12 days outside the Faculty of Arts. He demanded all students of Delhi University (DU) be provided with hostel facilities, food and beverages at college canteens be available at subsidised rates. Praveen’s condition had started to deteriorate and doctors, who examined him on Monday evening, advised immediate medical attention, an
official added.
The SHO of Maurice Nagar summoned an ambulance to the spot and police personnel tried to haul Praveen to the hospital. In a while, a few students had gathered there to protest police high-handedness. A student, identified as Kamlesh, tried to prevent police vehicle from moving by laying down on the street. “He suffered minor injuries,” said a police official.
This incident stoked the agitation further. Students attacked the police vehicle and set it alight. The wireless set installed in the SHO’s vehicle was also found missing. later, when the situation was brought under control, police took Praveen to the hospital.
“Five people have been arrested. A case of rioting, damage to public property, theft and obstructing Government servant from discharging his duties has been registered at Maurice Nagar Police Station,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North district) Sindhu Pillai.
Meanwhile, Alka Sharma, Registrar of the University, said that the University condemns the incident of violence and destruction of public property. “The University also strongly deplores the role of a minuscule segment of the teaching community in misguiding innocent students, jeopardising their careers and endangering their personal safety,” she said. She also appealed to students to not be brainwashed by any antisocial element and to cooperate instead with DU administration.