New Delhi

Several students were injured following an alleged clash between members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-affiliated student groups at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Monday, triggering sharply contrasting accounts from the rival sides.

ABVP state joint secretary Vikas Patel alleged that the violence was pre-planned by Left-wing groups under the cover of a student march. He claimed that a protest initially directed against the Vice-Chancellor was diverted towards the School of Languages, where students not participating in the agitation were allegedly forced to join.

Patel further alleged that ABVP members went to the site to speak on behalf of assaulted students, but were themselves attacked. He said police were informed and, with assistance from security guards, those trapped were eventually rescued. He also criticised campus security arrangements, claiming the deployment was inadequate to control the situation.

Meanwhile, JNUSU president Aditi Mishra accused the ABVP of instigating violence, alleging that the clash followed protests against remarks made by JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree D Pandit. She said students had been holding peaceful protests for nearly two weeks and alleged that stones were hurled at demonstrators, forcing some to take shelter inside campus buildings.

A student, Manish Chaudhary, who claimed to have been present during the incident, alleged that the march route was deliberately altered, leading to chaos near academic buildings. He further claimed that groups armed with sticks and stones chased and assaulted students over a considerable distance.

The Students' Federation of India (SFI) Delhi State Committee also condemned the incident, alleging that ABVP activists, along with outsiders, carried out a coordinated attack across the campus. In a statement, the SFI claimed that students were forced to remain inside the Central Library and other buildings through the night due to fear and insecurity.

Former JNUSU president and SFI Delhi State Secretary Aishe Ghosh said the incident reflected a recurring pattern of violence on campus and asserted that student movements would continue despite attempts to intimidate them.

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The clash reportedly occurred in the early hours of February 23, following nearly a week of protests by Left-affiliated organisations. The incident has sparked demands for identification of those involved and strict action, while investigations into the episode are awaited.