JNU mayhem: JNUTA seeks removal of VC, inquiry into attack

New Delhi: The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association on Monday demanded the removal of Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar after the attack on students and faculty members by an armed masked mob.

Addressing a press conference here, the JNU teachers also demanded an inquiry into the violence on Sunday when a masked mob armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers.

After what happened on campus on Sunday night, "the VC has to go," the JNUTA said.

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Saugata Bhaduri, a professor, said Sucharita Sen, another professor, couldn't make it to the press conference as she "sustained severe head injuries".

"I and my three colleagues, we were standing near a bus stand. Suddenly we saw a huge mob, close to 50 people, in masks. After they reached closer, they started pelting stones, and also beat us up. They circled me and started beating me on my limbs," he claimed.

Bhaduri said he and his colleagues were not the target, but it is unbelievable that they were also assaulted by the rampaging mob on the campus.

At least 28 people, including JNU students' union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours in the evening, even as shocking visuals played out on social media, shared by students and others.

Eyewitnesses alleged that the attackers entered the premises when a meeting was being held by the JNUTA on the issue of violence on campus and assaulted students and professors. They also barged into three hostels.

Video footage aired by some TV channels showed a group of men, who were brandishing hockey sticks and rods, moving around a building.

The Left-controlled JNUSU and the RSS-backed ABVP blamed each other for the incident.

"Where was our supreme authority, the VC when this attack was happening? Where was he? Why no action was taken?," asked former JNUTA president Sonajharia Minz.

Vikramaditya Chaudhary, the former JNUTA secretary, alleged that "we tried to call the administration officials but no one responded".

"My wife was chased by a mob. She ran for her life while she was abused and chased. She came inside and locked the room of the house. They banged practically every door in the housing complex," he said.

A faculty from a foreign country opened the door thinking these were some students. And then the mob entered her house, and searched everywhere, he claimed.

"We are being scared by the government and the JNU administration. I am shameful to be part of the institution whose VC is like this," Chaudhary rued.

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(PTI)