Three days after Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Najeeb Ahmad disappeared allegedly after a brawl with some students, the university remained tense on Tuesday.
Despite the administration claiming that “its making all efforts” to locate the missing student, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) continues their protest, demanding that the administration file an FIR against the students who attacked Ahmad on October 14 night.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR against kidnapping and wrongfully confining a person on the complaint of Ahmad’s parents at Vasant Kunj North Police station.
“We demand that the JNU administration stop issuing tokenist and callous statements on Ahmad's disappearance and take concrete steps instead, and press police to trace him promptly. We also demand that JNU administration must take immediate action against perpetrators of the mob violence and intimidation that has a direct link with Ahmad's disappearance,” stated a JNUSU Press release.
“The JNU Vice Chancellor's and administration's silence and refusal to act against those ABVP elements who indulged in wanton violence and threatening against Ahmad implies support, encouragement and patronage to the ABVP violence mongers,” alleged JNUSU.
Tension was palpable as the left-backed JNUSU and ABVP continued levelling allegations against each other. The ABVP alleged that there was inconsistency in the statements of the JNUSU president Mohit Pandey and the roommate of Ahmad and demanded a probe to determine the facts.
The JNU administration has initiated a proctorial enquiry into the incident where all the wardens and the Delhi Police has been instructed to extend all necessary help to trace Ahmad.
“The Delhi Police has been approached to investigate the matter and the administration is regularly in communication with police. Police have said they have already registered a case under section IPC 365 and investigations in the matter are on. All PCR vans in Delhi and all SSPs throughout India have been alerted and efforts are being made to trace the student. Further, police have intimated all the six neighbouring States and put the information on Zip-net in Northern Zone. Moreover, all relevant central agencies, including NCRB (National Crime Record Bureau) and missing section of CBI have been requested for help,” said the administration in a Press statement.
The administration has also claimed to have held” several rounds of discussions with various student representatives to apprise them of steps being taken to resolve the issue”.
JNU administration expressed “deep concerns” about the safety and security of Ahmad. The administration also said, “Some vested interests are trying to vitiate tensed atmosphere on the campus at a time when the administration is focusing on tracing Ahmad. This is not in the interest of the university and JNU community, and the administration appeals to students to cooperate to maintain peace on the campus and to help resolve the issue”.
Amidst the growing unease on the campus, the JNU administration has requested all relevant Central agencies, including National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) and CBI, for help in tracing a student who has been missing since Saturday. Classes were also boycotted due to the strike called by the JNU students union. In a related development, group of students of Mahi-Mandvi wrote to the chief proctor mentioning nine names among those who had come to hostel on Friday night and assaulted Ahmad.
Former JNUSU joint secretary, Saurabh Sharma, an ABVP member has been asked by the chief proctor to appear on October 21 for some clarification. Not to be left behind, the ABVP also staged a protest at the administrative block demanding efforts from the administration and police to find Ahmad.