JNU Vice Chancellor remains under siege over missing student

JNU students angry over a student who went missing six days ago on Thursday continued their siege of Vice Chancellor M. Jagadesh Kumar, who has refrained from calling the police.

Hundreds of students belonging to almost all student groups barring the ABVP laid siege to the administrative block at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), accusing Kumar of taking a negative attitude.

Kumar, the Proctor, the Registrar and some other officials were forced to spend the night inside the building, student activists told IANS.

"We are continuing the protest but have allowed other junior employees to move freely and carry on with their work," Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA) President Bhupali Magare told IANS.

The JNU has been in ferment ever since an undergraduate science student, Najeeb Ahmed, went missing on the night of October 14-15, reportedly after a brawl with a few members of the ABVP.

Police have been told that Ahmed may have been kidnapped or may be in illegal confinement.

The students deny they have gheraoed the Vice Chancellor but he insists that he and other officials have been confined to the building. Reporters, however, have access to Kumar.

Magare said the Vice Chancellor was not responding to their demands and had displayed a negative attitude.

She said a few students from the JNU Students Union (JNUSU) went to meet Kumar around midnight on Wednesday but he immediately asked the security to video the discussion.

"We walked out after that. He is dealing with the issue in a very negative manner," she said.

The Vice Chancellor appealed to the students on Wednesday night to end the siege and discuss their concerns.

On Thursday, Kumar again appealed to the students to end the siege and let him and other officials function freely. He said the university had already met with their demands.

"They asked for a police complaint, which has been filed. Moreover, a proctorial inquiry has been initiated by the varsity," he said.

He rubbished claims that the students had offered him and the other officials food during confinement. "We were not sent any food. We slept on the floor."

--IANS

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