Ramjas Row: Delhi Police Suspends 3 Cops, Crime Branch to Probe
Classes have been suspended at Ramjas College for the day due to the ongoing protests.
- Students gather at ITO to demand FIRs against ABVP members who inflicted violence on Wednesday
- ABVP members attacked protesting students and teachers outside Ramjas College on Wednesday
- Three reporters from The Quint were assaulted by the ABVP and policemen
- On Tuesday, ABVP activists had created a ruckus over Ramjas College’s decision to invite JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid
- Shehla Rashid said police failed to act while ABVP ‘goons’ pelted stones at the protesters
Delhi Police on Thursday suspended three of its personnel for their "unprofessional" handling of the Ramjas College violence and asked Crime Branch to conduct a probe into yesterday's clashes between ABVP and AISA members.
Dependra Pathak, special commissioner of police(Southwest) and Delhi Police spokesperson admitted of "inappropriate and unprofessional" action on part of a few personnel yesterday.
JNU and DU students, who are members of AISA staged a protest at ITO Delhi Police Headquarters on Thursday demanding action against "errant cops" who allegedly roughed up students and journalists yesterday. They were also demanding registration of an FIR against ABVP activists.
A case was registered yesterday in connection with violence and has now been transferred to Crime Branch.
Case Transferred to Crime Branch
The case against violence on the Ramjas college campus was transferred to the Crime Branch on Thursday.
ABVP Ends Their Protest
Members of ABVP ended their protest against "anti-nationals" on Thursday, warning that they won't allow a repetition of last year's events in JNU"
Speaking to Hindustan Times, Satendra Awana, who a member of ABVP and the DUSU President said:
The Quint Speaks to DUTA Professors About Ramjas Protests
Delhi University Teacher’s Association made appeals to the DU administration to preserve peace within the university.
My Presence was an Excuse to Incite Violence: Umar Khalid
Speaking to The Quint, Umar Khalid who is the center of the protest said that ABVP’s actions were pre-planned.
We will Look Into the Incident: DU VC
Speaking to Hindustan Times DU Vice Chancellor said:
Police and Protesters Engage in Dialogue
Protesters and police have engaged in a dialogue over the lodging of an FIR.
Special CP law and order, SBK Singh, said students can submit their complaints to the police with statements from all the victims.
Students refused to budge until the police let them know about the contents of the FIR.
Peaceful March Due to ABVP Absence
The march is going on peacefully at ITO due to the absence of ABVP members.
The students continued their demand from the police, which is to lodge FIRs against ABVP students who viciously attacked student protesters. They raised slogans saying, “aar ho yaa par ho, aaj FIR ho”.
Satish Deshpande, a professor of Sociology from Delhi School of Economics who was at the protest said such ABVP’s domination is creating a sense of self-censorship in the university.
Notice Few Policemen's Unprofessional Actions: Joint CP
Commenting on the protest which left quite a few students and media persons injured, Dependra Pathak, Joint CP said:
Special CP law and order, SBK Singh said it was regrettable that journalists were beaten. He also said that he is ready to transfer the case if students do not trust Maurice Nagar police station.
Watch the Protest Live from ITO
Slogans such as “FIR Karo” is being raised, demanding FIRs against members of ABVP who viciously attacked student protesters.
Strong Security Presence at ITO
Students have gathered at ITO. So far, the march has been peaceful. A lot of policemen have been deployed in the area.
Classes Suspended at Ramjas
Classes have been suspended at Ramjas College for the day due to the ongoing protests.
Left Groups Call Students' Protest at 11 am on Thursday
Leftist groups have called a students’ protest against the police at the Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO at 11 am on Thursday.
The demands put forth by them are:
ABVP activists attacked protesting students and teachers outside Ramjas College on Wednesday, leaving many injured. On Tuesday, the ABVP had forced the suspension of a seminar titled ‘Cultures of Protest’ over the participation of JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid.
At least a dozen students and a professor of English were wounded during a march from Ramjas College to Maurice Nagar police station when students affiliated to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the RSS’ students wing, attacked the protesters.
The students had taken out the march to protest against the violence unleashed by ABVP members on Tuesday.
Police Did Nothing, Says Shehla Rashid
Former Vice President of JNU Students’ Union Shehla Rashid, who was scheduled to speak at the seminar on Tuesday, said:
The Quint’s Reporters Assaulted
A reporter from The Quint was assaulted by ABVP. Watch the reporter describe the incident in the video below:
One other reporter was beaten up along with a camera person by policemen on Wednesday evening. They said that the policemen specifically targeted camera persons.
The students alleged that police were mute spectators to the violent events. The ABVP, however, denied resorting to violence or forcing the college to cancel the invite to Khalid and Rashid.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Esha Pandey told IANS that the situation has been controlled. Eight policemen were injured in the protest, according to ANI.
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