Members of ABVP, Left clash at JNU after polls

New Delhi: Hours after the announcement of Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) poll results, student members of the RSS-affiliated ABVP and the Left-backed AISA fought with each other on the JNU campus premises in the wee hours of Monday.

The groups accused each other of starting the violence. While the All India Students Association (AISA) alleged that the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) students attacked their members, in which a former student was almost 'lynched' and the newly elected JNUSU president being beaten up, the RSS-affiliate claimed Left supporters targeted its activists.

This is the second incident of the two groups clashing on campus, the recent one being on Saturday ahead of the counting, which was suspended after election authorities cited 'forcible entry' and 'attempts to snatch away ballot boxes'.

Newly-elected JNUSU president N Sai Balaji alleged that he was beaten up by ABVP activists. "I went to Sutlej (hostel) to ensure the safety of a student who was attacked by ABVP students. On reaching, what I saw was mayhem," Balaji said. He claimed that ABVP members "openly threatened him and other students present there, with dire consequences if they intervened to stop the violence".

According to Balaji, while he was waiting inside a Police Control Room (PCR) van, after the situation got out of control, some ABVP members entered the vehicle threatening him and assaulted him.

However, the ABVP accused AISA activists of roughing up one of their differently-abled members.

"Three students affiliated to the ABVP were attacked by the criminals hiding as champions of Communist ideology. 15-20 Left workers, including non-students, led by the outgoing JNUSU president Geeta Kumari and one of her close friends (attacked the students)," the ABVP said.

The ABVP and the AISA have both filed complaints against each other at the Vasant Kunj police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Devender Arya said the situation is under control.

"The PCR got calls about a scuffle between students in JNU around 3am.

"Complaints have been received in Vasant Kunj (North) police station. Legal action is being taken on merit. Police arrangements are in place," he said.

The JNU Teachers' Association took out a protest march against the violence. Several students and university workers joined the protest.