Delhi University Students and Teachers Protest Against Attack on SFI Activists by ABVP

Three student activists belonging to Students’ Federation of India have been severely attacked allegedly by a group of ten ABVP activists in Delhi’s Vijay Nagar on Sunday (August 25) evening.

Condemning the attack, several students and teachers bodies including Bhagat Singh Chatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM), Progressive Democratic Students’ Federation (PDSF), All India Students’ Association, Pinjra Tod and SFI held a protest gathering today August 26 at Delhi University’s Arts Faculty.

During the protest, student activists alleged that it was a pre-planned attack and the police is delaying to take appropriate action against the perpetrators of the incident.

As per the complaint filed by SFI in Model Town police station, while student activists were sticking posters in Vijay Nagar area on Sunday evening, a group of people came in a Scorpio car and began thrashing the SFI activists with sticks (with iron nails attached) and cricket bats, while passing lewd comments on female students outraging their modesty.

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In the incident, SFI activists Sumit Kataria, Himanshu and Noel sustained severe fractures on arms and head.

“Sticking posters is part of student activism and this incident appeared to be a pre-planned one as the attackers threatened the activists there to withdraw the complaint of sexual harassment filed by one of the women activists against ABVP leaders in February this year,” Vikas Bhaduria, president of SFI told NewsClick. He added that the police were negligent towards taking immediate action citing ‘want of jurisdiction’.

Vikas said that the attackers can easily be nabbed if CCTV recording in the place of incident are checked to identify the car and attackers.

Such violence by ABVP has become a regular affair as the student’s union elections are also approaching, said Shruti, a Phd Scholar from Ambedkar University. “It is evident that ABVP is receiving patronage from both the administration and police as ABVP goons can be found patrolling the Delhi University premises during late hours at night,” she told NewsClick.

She added that the student activists will protest in front of the Model Town police station until the police registers a First Information Report.

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