JNU News: A mob of around 50 masked goons assaulted students, faculty of the Jawaharlal Nehru University
After a mob of around 50 masked goons assaulted students and faculty of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, social media flooded with help, news updates, distress calls and support from several users. The hashtags #SOSJNU, #JNUViolence, #JNUattack and #JNUProtests started trending soon after the news of the attack on students broke.
One of the tweets called for students to gather at JNU's Paschimabad Gate, where the press was collected.
Another Twitter user tweeted using the hashtag #SOSJNU, posted a screenshot of a conversation on WhatsApp, saying her "friend's friend has been beaten up by goons outside JNU main gate".
Adil Hossain, a research scholar, tweeted saying his sister was inside her hostel in JNU, adding, "She is scared. We are all scared."
Another tweet, using the hashtag #JNUattack, called for people to gather at a protest in Mumbai.
The JNU Students' Union also tweeted photos of a ransacked hostel room.
Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker, a JNU graduate, tweeted a video message calling for a stop to mob violence. "Urgent appeal!!!! To all Delhiites PLS gather in large numbers outside the Main Gate of JNU campus on Baba Gangnath Marg.. to pressure the govt. & #DelhiPolice to stop the rampage by alleged ABVP masked goons on JNU campus. PLS PLS share to everyone in Delhi! 9pm on 5th. Jan," Swara Bhasker tweeted.
Violence in the university resulted in several students, including the head of JNUSU, being injured. Eyewitnesses say goons entered the campus at around 6.30 pm in the evening. Around 9 pm, they had broached the campus.
JNUSU said faculty tried to protect students from being beaten up.