ABVP, NSUI activists clash

SOLAN, Nov 12: At least 10 students of undergraduate classes of Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, near here, were ...

SOLAN, Nov 12: At least 10 students of undergraduate classes of Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, near here, were injured, four of them seriously, following a violent clash between the activists of Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarathi Parishad and National Students Union of India. The clash took place last night at the undergraduate hostel of the varsity in which bricks, lathies and torn rods were reportedly used.

Window panes of the hostel were smashed and furniture of the building was also badly damaged. Some activists of both the organisations were allegedly seen brandishing sharp-edged weapons.

The seriously injured students were ABVP activists Anil and Salaish Sood of final year B.Sc (Horticulture), Subash Sharma of B.Sc II (Forestry) and Anil Jokta of NSUI. They were admitted to district hospital here last night.

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The trouble sparked off at about 7.30 p.m. when activists of both the organisations, reportedly under the influence of liquor, started provoking each other outside the hostel complex. Soon after, activists of both the organisations assembled in the hostel. During an altercation that followed, some students switched off the main switch of hostel lights.

After this it was free for all. Both the groups started dragging their rivals and thrashed them mercilessly. The clash lasted around one hour.

The police have arrested eight students on charges of unlawful act, damage to public property, rioting , causing injuries and breach of peace. The arrested students were Hitender Patiyal, Sameer Rana, Munish Thakur, Mandeep Singh, Ashwani Chauhan, Suresh Kuamr, Akashy Kumar and Naresh Kumar.

Meanwhile, the vice-chancellor of the university Prof L.R. Verma had constitued a three-member enquiry committee, headed by Dean College of Forestry Dr L.J. Shrivastva to probe the whole incident. The committee had also been asked to suggest remedial measures and submit the report within a fortnight.

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The university registrar disclosed that the authorities had also expelled eight students, arrested by the police on criminal charges, from the hostel and suspended them from attending the classes till the enquiry. Meanwhile, Sunil Naram, a spokesman for the NSUI in a statement issued here today alleged that the police were acting on political considerations and had registered a false cases against the NSUI activists. He further alleged that the police had also refused to register FIR against the ABVP activists.

On the other hand, the general secretary of campus unit of ABVP said that they had informed the varsity authorities well in time about the alleged goodndaism of NSUI activists, but no preventive action was taken by the varsity administration which resulted in clash.

Heavy police force was deployed on the campus to keep a strict watch on the rival groups and to avoid any further clash.

Additional Superintendent of Police Himanshu Mishra said that cases have been registered under section 307, 147, 148, 149, 323 and 324 of the IPC. He claimed that situation was under control.