New Delhi: The Delhi Police has submitted a report to the fact-finding committee about sequence of events on Sunday when violence had unfolded at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the response time of police officers.
A number of students and professors were severely injured when masked goons entered the campus of the premier university and unleashed mayhem on Sunday evening. The events of the days have been widely criticised and protests, mostly led by student communities, are being held across the nation.
The fact-finding committee, headed by Joint Commissioner of Police Shalini Singh, has visited a number of hostels on the JNU campus, Periyar Hostel and Sabarmati hostel, and spoken to some students about the incident.
Police officers have submitted a detailed report of their response to calls from the university on January 5 when the violence broke out on the campus.
Sources said, around 2pm, there were two separate gatherings of student group. While members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a student affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, gathered near a statue of Swami Vivekanand, Left-backed union members and students grouped near a bust of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. A scuffle broke out between the two groups when they decided to disperse.
Police said around 3.45pm, the first PCR (Police Control Room) call was received from Periyar Hostel and it was immediately responded to. Officers stationed at the Admin Block (as per a high court order) was sent to the spot.
At the hostel, some people with sticks in hand could be seen. They threw stones and attacked a few students, but stopped short of entering the hostel. At least 17 PCR calls were received from the inmates of the hostel and they continued till 4.15pm. After dispersing the crowd, the police personnel returned to the Admin Block.
Around 5.15pm, DCP (Southwest District) Devender Arya entered the campus and went to Periyar Hostel to inspect the situation. After finding that normalcy has returned, he returned to the main gate (North Gate).
Soon after, the JNU main gate was closed and no one was allowed inside, while police continued to be deployed at the North Gate. According to sources, the station house officer and 20 officers from each nearby police station was called to the spot.
The sources said a PCR call was again received around 5.30-5.45pm about 700 people entering the university. The cops stationed at the Admin Block cops were sent again, but nothing was found. The PCR called back the caller, but the latter was untraceable.
An hour later, the sources said, students, mostly affiliated to the ABVP, disrupted a peace meeting of JNU Teachers Association that was underway at the T-point of Sabarmati Hostel. The group of students then went to Sabarmati Hostel and vandalised gates and windows.
In the meantime, students of Left-backed unions had gathered nearby and a scuffle broke out soon after.
Around 6.45pm, the VC reportedly sent a message to police that the situation could become tense and forces deployment be increased at the sources. However, his phone was unreachable (he hadn’t till then asked police to intervene).
Around 7.30-7.45pm, police got a written letter from the university authorities seeking intervention into the matter. By the time, the cops went in, the mob had dispersed.
Police sources said all the fight and attack happened between 7 and 7.30pm.
JNU Students Union president Aishe Ghosh was taken to an ambulance by the DCP, who ensured that the vehicle was able to get out of the campus from the East Gate.
After 7pm, there were approximately 125 PCR calls, but it was mostly the same numbers that repeatedly kept callings.
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