JNU violence: Delhi Police issues notices to 9 suspects
The Delhi Police on Saturday issued notices to nine suspects for their alleged involvement in the violence at the Jawaharlal Nehru University. The nine suspects, including JNU Student Union President Aishe Ghosh, were allegedly involved in clashes before the mob attack at JNU last Sunday. The attack left 34 injured, including Ghosh and three faculty members. Here are more details.
According to The Hindu, out of the nine suspects, six men have been asked to record their statement at the Crime Branch office at Kamla Market on different dates. The three female suspects will be questioned by women officers at a place and time of their choosing, the police said. Other students whose involvement remains unclear will also be questioned this week, NDTV reported.
Using viral social media posts, the Delhi Police on Friday identified nine suspects involved in the clashes that took place before the Sunday mob attack. These suspects included Aishe Ghosh, Chunchun Kumar, Pankaj Mishra, Waskar Vijay, Sucheta Talukraj, Priya Ranjan and Dolan Sawant from Left student outfits. Yogendra Bhardwaj and Vikas Patel of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad were also identified as suspects.
A police officer told The Hindu Saturday that they will also serve notices to the 37 people identified from the WhatsApp group 'Unity against Left' where the Sunday mob attack was allegedly planned. As of Sunday, the police have identified a total of 44 members of the WhatsApp group. The group had 60 members—including outsiders—and was reportedly created by ABVP's Yogendra Bhardwaj.
JNUSU had boycotted the winter semester registration, which started January 1, protesting a hostel fee hike. This sparked clashes on campus and on January 4, Left-backed outfits allegedly vandalized the server room. From the Left, AISA activist Geeta Kumari confessed to this violence in India Today's sting. On January 5, Left outfits allegedly attacked Periyar Hostel. Later that day, masked goons attacked the campus.
The attack by the masked mob left 34 injured—mostly Left activists and three teachers—and was blamed on the ABVP. ABVP members also confessed on the sting, however, the organization denied involvement later. A far-right outfit Hindu Raksha Dal has also claimed responsibility for the attack.
Two FIRs were registered against JNUSU for the server room and Periyar violence. Unknown persons were booked for the mob attack in a third FIR wherein a police officer stated that cops spotted masked goons on campus at around 3:45 pm and 7 pm on Sunday, however, let them slip. A total of four FIRs have been registered, Delhi Police PRO Mandeep Randhawa said.
