Agitating JNU students on Sunday formed a human chain from the administrative block to the Vice-Chancellor’s residence to protest the university administration's “inaction” in tracing a missing student of the varsity.
A student of School of Biotechnology, Najeeb Ahmed, allegedly went missing on last Saturday following a brawl on the campus allegedly with members of ABVP, the night before.
The protest outside his house prompted him to take to Twitter, appealing to students.
Contending Versions of VC’s ‘Gherao’
Kumar further added that he will be meeting the Delhi police commissioner on Monday with respect to the case.
JNU Students Union had last week kept Kumar and other university officials under siege for over 20 hours alleging inaction on the administration's part.
JNUSU denied the claim that VC residence was “gheraoed” as it a human chain which culminated at the VC house where Najeeb’s family, friends and two teachers spoke.“He is lying through his teeth. First of all, he should be tweeting about Najeeb and not about himself. This is a highly megalomaniac tendency, just like Modi, to claim victimhood for himself whereas the only victim is Najeeb. The VC should stop seeking undue sympathy,” JNUSU president Mohit Pandey said.
In subsequent tweets, Kumar said he will be meeting Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Verma to discuss the case on 24 October. His meeting with the cityss top cop will coincide with a march the agitating students are planning to hold against the alleged inaction on the part of the JNU administration in tracing Ahmed.
The march will begin from Mandi House and culminate at Jantar Mantar where the students will observe the ‘National Protest Day’.
Replying to Kumar, the student community posted a question on the micro-blogging site: “Why did the JNU VC, who is otherwise quick to take to twitter against JNU students, fail to issue even a single sensitive appeal to Najeeb in public domain till date? (sic)”.
“Our Vice Chancellor has become paranoid. Wherever he sees students, he gets nightmares of gherao. We only formed a human chain to seek justice for Najeeb. The VC should stop seeking undue sympathy,” said JNUSU President Mohit K Pandey on Kumar's tweets.
NSUI Protest Outside Rajnath Singh’s House
The National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) of the university on Sunday took their vigil to Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence.
Earlier on Friday, JNU students were detained and taken to the police station in Parliament Street for protesting in the area. The students were protesting near Rail Bhawan, reported ANI. Section 144 had been imposed in the area, Delhi ACB Chief M K Meena told reporters.
Security has been beefed up in New Delhi district in anticipation of a protest by JNU students in front of the Home Ministry at Raisina Hill on Friday over alleged inaction of the university administration and police in tracing missing student Najeeb Ahmed.
Vehicular movement has been blocked on Raisina Road and police, and paramilitary forces have been deployed at and around the area after police received information that the university students would arrive here to stage a protest, a police official said.
Ahmed Missing Since Eight Days
Ahmed has been missing from the JNU campus since Saturday.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had yesterday ordered the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace Ahmed, even as the agitating students decided to change their mode of protest after keeping the Vice Chancellor and some other top officials under siege for over 20 hours.
The agitating students had said they will no longer confine VC M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials of the university.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
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