JNU Protest Escalates: 14 Arrested, Union Leaders Among Those Granted Bail
In a significant development, New Delhi police on Friday arrested 14 individuals, including key office bearers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU), in connection with a protest held the previous day that allegedly turned violent. All arrested persons were subsequently granted bail by the court, with stringent conditions attached.
Details of Arrests and Bail Conditions
Among those apprehended were prominent student leaders: Nitish Kumar, a former JNUSU president; Aditi Mishra, the current union president; Gopika Babu, the vice-president; and Danish Ali, the joint secretary. Police reported that approximately 25 personnel sustained injuries during the protest, with 51 individuals initially detained on Thursday.
The bail order, issued on Friday, noted that about 27 police officers were injured in the incident. "Assaulting police officers on duty is a serious concern which cannot be permitted in the garb of peaceful protest," the order stated. However, it added, "The offences... are punishable with a maximum imprisonment of five years only. The accused persons are students and are not habitual offenders. They have their entire career lying ahead. Therefore, considering the facts and circumstances, the accused persons are admitted to bail in the sum of Rs 25,000."
Bail was granted under specific conditions: the 14 individuals must not induce or threaten anyone connected to the case, refrain from committing any offences while on bail, provide accurate permanent and residential addresses along with an active mobile number in their bail bonds, promptly inform the court of any changes, appear for every hearing, and obtain permission before leaving the country.
Background of the Protest and Police Response
The JNUSU had organized a march from the university campus to the education ministry to protest against alleged casteist remarks by vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit. According to police, the march turned violent after participants attempted to exit the campus despite being denied permission.
DCP (southwest) Amit Goel explained, "The JNU administration had already told the organisers that no permission had been granted for such a protest outside the campus, and they were advised to restrict themselves to the university premises." Despite repeated requests, around 400-500 students gathered at the main gate around 3.20 pm to march towards the ministry, where they allegedly damaged barricades.
Goel further detailed, "Some protesters turned aggressive. They threw banners, sticks and shoes at police personnel, and even resorted to assault." He added that some protesters bit police personnel during the confrontation.
Legal Charges and Counter-Protest
Police have registered an FIR under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 221 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), Section 121 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter a public servant from duty), Section 132 (assault), and Section 3(5) (common intention).
In a related development, a counter-protest emerged on Friday when Christhu Doss, a faculty member at the School of Social Sciences, JNU, began an indefinite hunger strike on campus. Doss, along with other teachers, demanded that JNUSU and the JNU Teachers' Association address alleged incidents of vandalism, hooliganism, and the locking down of schools that disrupted regular classes during the demonstrations. Doss announced a fast-unto-death, stating that the protest will continue until classes are fully restored.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions at JNU, with student activism clashing with administrative and legal boundaries, raising questions about protest protocols and campus governance.
