JNU students call for 'stronger action' to find Najeeb Ahmed

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) organised a sit-in at the varsity's administration block on Diwali night to make a plea for stronger action in finding Najeeb Ahmed, who is missing now for the last 16 days.

The sit-in -- light a ray of hope for Najeeb -- saw close to 300 students from across the campus on Sunday, who turned up to express their solidarity with Ahmed and his grieving family.

Ahmed, a university student of Mahi-Mandvi hostel in campus, went missing on the intervening night of October 14-15 after being beaten by a 20-strong mob of students who had gone campaigning to his door for hostel elections.

"No violence will be tolerated in the campus, and against any student," JNU Teachers Association Secretary Vikramaditya Chaudhary said during the sit-in.

The sit-in remained peaceful and was an attempt towards reminding people of Ahmed and the apathy of JNU administration and the police in their willingness to find him.

"It has been so many days but my brother has not been found, what is the police doing, what is the JNU authority doing," Sadaf Musharraf, Ahmed's cousin, said at the protest.

Every year, JNU students celebrate Diwali with a fanfare matched by the rest of the nation, but this year, the event was marked by a melancholic feel.

"We were not expecting such a turnout. Close to 300 students made it to the protest and registered their anger at the shameful attitude of the JNU administration," JNUSU President Mohit Pandey told IANS.

"Tomorrow, (on Monday) we will again be protesting at the Ad-Block. We won't relent until Najeeb is found," he added.