Delhi Police personnel had a tough time in controlling a crowd of 200 to 250 students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) after they marched to the Vasant Kunj North police station on Monday evening. The students had gathered outside Vasant Kunaj North police station to protest against the lackadaisical attitude of police in the FIR registered by a JNU student against Professor Atul Johri.
Till Monday night, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Milind Dumbere said, “One FIR has been registered against the JNU professor. Based on the written complaints submitted by more students, we will add sections in the FIR accordingly.” On being asked if the students protesting outside the police station were “manhandled”, the DCP denied. After the first FIR was registered last week, eight more girl students came forward expressing how they too were sexually harassed by the professor.
The JNU Students’ Union, which has been agitating for the past three days demanding the professor's arrest, set off on a march to the Vasant Kunj Police Station on Monday evening. A clash erupted between the agitating students and the cops outside the police station. Students claimed the police fired water cannon to disperse the students.
Till Monday, at least four complaints have been made by the female students on Monday against professor Atul Johri from the School of life Sciences, accusing him of sexual misconduct. The women had approached the Vasant Kunj (north) police station claiming that the professor was in the habit of making explicit remarks on their clothes and touched them inappropriately while delivering lessons.
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwa censured the Delhi Police for their inaction in the matter and expressed her support for the victims. “JNU matter of sexual assault of 9 girls is extremely shocking. The man appears to be a serial offender. Even more shocking is the fact that Delhi Police is yet to arrest the accused. DCW is issuing notices in the matter. We are in support of the brave complainants,” Maliwal tweeted.
Meanwhile, 54 JNU professors have demanded registration of separate FIRs in all complaints of sexual harassment filed against Johri. In a petition to DCP (South-West)’s office, the teachers said police chose to register only one FIR based on only one of the nine complaints filed so far. “This disregard for even basic procedure suggests to us that the Delhi Police has no intention of seriously proceeding against Johri,” the petition said.