1 week ago
No Arrests Three Days After Jadavpur University Campus Violence
Jadavpur University was attacked by groups of ABVP supporters on Thursday.
The supporters said they were protesting an alleged attack on their leader, Nikhil Das.
The campus was damaged, and there were reports of arson and vandalism.
Students said some attackers threatened women and used obscene gestures.
Police had video and other recordings but had not arrested anyone by Sunday.
Police said they were still checking the facts and identifying the people involved.
Some people shown in the videos denied entering the campus or said the footage was doctored.
The university created a committee and gave its CCTV recordings to the police.
Police had made no arrests by Sunday, three days after violence at Jadavpur University.
Authorities said they were verifying facts and identifying people seen in CCTV, mobile-phone and television footage.
ABVP supporters allegedly raided the campus twice after protesting the alleged assault of unit president Nikhil Das.
Students alleged threats, obscene gestures and attacks against women, but those allegations were not included in the charges cited.
Former vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau and ABVP leaders denied involvement, while police awaited university consent to enter the campus.
- Who
- Police, Jadavpur University authorities, ABVP supporters, students, and former interim vice-chancellor Buddhadeb Sau were involved or mentioned.
- What
- Groups of ABVP supporters allegedly raided and vandalised the campus, while police had made no arrests three days later.
- Where
- Jadavpur University, including Gate No. 4 and Aurobindo Bhavan.
- When
- The first attack began around 1 a.m. on August 20, after an alleged assault on August 19; another raid reportedly occurred Thursday afternoon.
- Why
- ABVP supporters said they were protesting the alleged assault of their unit president, Nikhil Das, by Left-wing students.
Students and critics
Police, university officials and accused leaders
Pace of the investigation
Students and critics
Students and others criticised the lack of arrests despite widely circulated CCTV, mobile-phone and television footage, and compared it with faster police action after a July 22 protest.
Police, university officials and accused leaders
Police said they were verifying facts, examining possible angles and identifying suspects before taking major action; an officer also said police were awaiting university consent to enter the campus.
Buddhadeb Sau’s role
Students and critics
A teachers’ association leader said allegations that Sau helped ABVP supporters enter the campus should be investigated.
Police, university officials and accused leaders
Sau denied opening the gate or assisting the raiders, saying security guards let them in and asking police to determine whose instructions they followed.
Responsibility for the violence
Students and critics
Students and university accounts described ABVP supporters as raiders who vandalised the campus and allegedly threatened women.
Police, university officials and accused leaders
ABVP leaders Subhabrata Adhikari and Neelkantha Bhattacharya denied entering or participating in the vandalism; Adhikari blamed the vandalism and arson on alleged “Naxals,” while Bhattacharya called the footage doctored.
Key facts
- Arrests
- None had been made by late Sunday, three days after the violence.
- Police position
- Police said they were verifying facts, examining all possible angles and identifying those involved.
- Available evidence
- CCTV recordings, mobile-phone videos and television footage captured parts of the incidents.
- Charges
- The case cited trespassing, unlawful assembly, rioting, arson, mischief, criminal intimidation and offences under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
- University response
- Jadavpur University handed CCTV footage to police and formed a five-member committee.
- Campus access
- Police said they would enter the campus with the university authorities’ consent.
- Women’s allegations
- Students alleged threats and obscene gestures against women, but the charges cited did not specifically include those allegations.
Quotes
Neelkantha Bhattacharya
ABVP state secretary shown in purported footage carrying two lathis
“In his Independence Day address, the Prime Minister spoke about dimagi Naxals. The task of neutralising those Naxals has begun here at JU. We have launched a surgical strike at JU just the way the home minister launched a strike in Chhattisgarh to end the Maoist threat.”
telegraphindia.com
“They were making obscene gestures. They threatened to outrage our modesty. It has all been captured on the television cameras and CCTV cameras. Still, there is no mention of women being attacked in the charges that have been drawn.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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