A stabbing and group clash at Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Barak Hostel left four people injured, including a 22-year-old student with serious injuries to his right eye, nose, face and shoulders, prompting a police case for attempt to murder and immediate campus bans against four students.
The incident took place on Thursday after an argument between two students over comments concerning a female friend, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Goyal. The dispute began inside a room at the hostel and escalated into physical violence, during which one student allegedly used a gandasa to attack another.
The injured were taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Trauma Centre. The 22-year-old student suffered serious injuries to his eye, nose, face and shoulders and also sustained fractures in several parts of his body. His condition was reported to be serious.
A 19-year-old woman suffered cuts to her hand and arm and required stitches. A 24-year-old man sustained injuries to his wrist and fingers and underwent an operation. A 39-year-old man was also reported among those injured. The student who allegedly attacked the other person was himself injured during the clash.
Police said an FIR had been registered at Vasant Kunj North police station on the basis of a complaint and that the investigation was under way. The police said further action would be taken on the basis of the FIR. No arrests had been reported at the time of the report.
The account of the number of people involved differs between the police and university information and the medical records. Police and university authorities referred to four injured people, while AIIMS medical records indicated that 10 people were involved in the violence. The difference has raised the possibility that the initial dispute inside the room later developed into a wider group clash, although the investigation is continuing.
JNU’s Proctor’s Office has expelled four students in connection with the incident: MA student Ajay Singh Bhadauria, student Shani Kant Kumar, BA student Saurabh Singh and a female student. The four have also been barred from the campus with immediate effect until the completion of the proctorial inquiry.
The university administration has submitted a report on the incident to the Chief Proctor’s Office. The police investigation and the university’s disciplinary proceedings will determine the next steps in the case.
