JNU Meat row: With cross FIRs being filed, cops begin in-depth probe

New Delhi, Apr 12: The Delhi Police on Monday registered separate FIRs based on complaints received by two rival student groups in connection with a clash on the JNU campus over non-vegetarian food being served in a hostel mess and alleged disruption of Ram Navami puja, news agency PTI reported.

This comes a day after the two groups clashed at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Kaveri Hostel allegedly over the issue.

Police said Monday that two FIRs have been registered on the complaints received from both the groups and that they have received 20 medico-legal cases so far from the students injured in the violence.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Manoj C said that they received a complaint early Monday morning from a group of students who are members of JNUSU, SFI, DSF and AISA against unknown ABVP students.

"Accordingly, we have a registered an FIR under section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Further investigation is on to collect factual or scientific evidence and identify the culprits," he said.

The complaint stated, "At 3.45 pm on 10th April, the ABVP students assaulted the meat vendor who brought chicken for dinner at Kaveri hostel and when two members of the mess committee tried to intervene, then they were assaulted as well.

"Around 7:30 pm, after prolonged arguments and vicious sloganeering, these goons started assaulting students again, first with their fists and kicks and then with various objects including rocks, bricks, flowerpots, rods and tubelights. Not a single student raised their hand to counter this violence, even when many were being injured....Even the cyclops security guards were assaulted by these goons, of which two received serious injuries," it said.

The complaint also mentioned that 4 pm onwards, students started informing police about the violence. Police, however said they received the first PCR call around 8.15 pm.

The complainants also accused the police of not taking any action even when several women students were "given death threats and abused in sexual terms infront of police personnel".

The police said that another FIR was registered on the complaint received Monday afternoon from a group of students who are members of ABVP against unknown JNUSU, SFI, DSF students.

"Based on the complaint, we have registered an FIR under sections 323, 341, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code," the DCP said, adding that further investigation is on to collect factual and scientific evidence and identify the culprits.

Statements of around 10 students have been recorded while those of other students who were either victims or witness to the violence will be taken as per procedure for further investigation, he said.

All the CCTV footage and purported videos made by students and others will also be scanned and analysed to ascertain the identity of those involved, police said, adding that majority of complaints were received from ABVP.

Several purported videos of the violence surfaced on social media, with one them showing a student, Akhtarista Ansari, bleeding from the head.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Monday alleged that students from Left-backed outfits wanted to disrupt a Ram Navami puja, and are using diversionary tactics by raising the issue of serving of non-vegetarian food.

However, the JNUSU has accused the ABVP of "orchestrating the incident and unleashing violence in the name of food".

The JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) on Sunday alleged that Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad members stopped the mess vendor from supplying chicken to the mess and attacked him in the afternoon.

However, the right-wing ABVP denied the charge and claimed that "Leftists" obstructed a puja organised at the hostel on Ram Navami.

Both sides accused each other of pelting stones and injuring their members.

(PTI)