Protests in JNU over student missing since Saturday after a fight on campus
A student of the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been missing from the campus since Saturday after a brawl in his hostel.
Najeeb Ahmed, who studies in the School of Biotechnology, had arrived on campus just 15 days before he went missing. His parents are now sitting in protest near his hostel.
"Please bring my son back...where is my son? What has happened to him? Please give him back to me," wept Najeeb's mother, who came all the way from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh after a frantic phone call from her son on Friday night.
Left activists have alleged that Najeeb had a fight with activists of the ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad) who were in his hostel that night for a door-to-door campaign for the election of a mess committee.
Najeeb allegedly slapped an ABVP candidate, which escalated as more activists came to the hostel and allegedly beat up the student. The ABVP, which is linked to the BJP, has denied the allegation.
"The Left intervened and locked Najeeb in a washroom to keep him safe, he was later taken out in the presence of the warden but that didn't help as the abuses continued," said a witness.
"No one heard from Najeeb the next morning."
On Monday, an FIR for kidnapping was filed.
The JNU students' union put out a statement alleging incessant attempts to "terrorise" students in the hostel where Najeeb stayed. "Yesterday, a wardens' meeting to prepare a report of the incident was also repeatedly disrupted by ABVP members," the statement said.
The JNU administration issued a statement saying the campus is being searched thoroughly.
"The JNU security has been instructed to immediately look for the missing student. The dean gave a written instruction to all wardens to search hostel rooms," said the university, adding that it is in touch with the police.