Six students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were detained on Sunday (October 19, 2025), a day after Left-affiliated student groups held a campus protest against alleged violence by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during the recent general body meetings (GBMs).
The protest intensified when students attempted to march to the Vasant Kunj police station, demanding an FIR against ABVP members. Instead, the police registered an FIR on Sunday at the same station against Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) president Nitish Kumar, vice-president Manisha, general secretary Munteha Fatima, and three other students.
The charges fall under Sections 221 (obstructing public servants), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant), 121(2) (causing grievous hurt to a public servant), and 3(5) (holding all participants in a group collectively responsible for an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Several others were also reportedly detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act.
Left student groups, including the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), alleged that the police used excessive force during the protest. AISA claimed students were “brutally beaten up”, while the SFI accused police personnel of manhandling female students.
The police, however, denied allegations, stating that all students were released by Sunday evening. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Amit Goel said that around 70-80 students had gathered at the JNU West Gate around 6 p.m. on Saturday, broke through barricades, obstructed traffic on Nelson Mandela Marg, and manhandled police personnel. He said 28 students were detained to prevent further escalation and that six police personnel were injured.
The protest, described by organisers as a “march for social justice”, was led by Left-affiliated groups questioning the delay in police action against ABVP members. The SFI on Sunday accused the Delhi police of being “silent witnesses” to the violence allegedly caused by ABVP members, while using “brutal force” against students holding a peaceful march.
‘Dictatorial behaviour’
The organisation demanded the immediate registration of an FIR under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other relevant laws against ABVP members accused of making “casteist and Islamophobic” remarks during the GBMs. It also sought the suspension of police officials who allegedly attacked students and JNUSU office bearers.
In response, the ABVP held a counter-protest and burned an effigy of the Left-led JNUSU at Sabarmati T-Point on Sunday. The group accused the JNUSU of violating democratic procedures while announcing the Election Committee (EC) during the GBMs of the School of Social Sciences (SSS) and the School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS).
“The responsibility for the irregularities occurring in JNU lies entirely with the Left groups. At the SSS GBM, the JNUSU president unilaterally declared the Election Committee within five minutes, without any proposal, voting, or headcount. This dictatorial behaviour is a violation of JNU’s democratic framework and a betrayal of students’ trust,” the ABVP said in a statement.
Published – October 19, 2025 11:33 pm IST
