Delhi Police files non-cognisable report in JNU protest, slogans against PM

Delhi Police filed a non-cognisable report after a JNU protest over alleged anti-Modi slogans. The university plans disciplinary action against students involved.

NEW DELHI

The JNU campus. (HT Archive)

Delhi Police on Wednesday registered a non-cognisable report in connection with a protest on the premises of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), over allegations of slogans reportedly being raised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday.

Delhi Police said the university’s chief security officer filed a complaint at the Vasant Kunj (north) police station on Tuesday.

“Legal opinion on the same was taken and a non-congisable report under sections 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 353(1) (statements conducing to public mischief) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS was registered,” a spokesperson for the Delhi Police said, adding that all sections levelled are non-cognisable.

According to the BNSS, when the police receive information about a non-cognisable offence—an offence where police cannot issue summons or make arrests on their own—they must record the details in a register and ask the complainant to approach a magistrate. The police are also required to send a report of such cases to the magistrate every two weeks.

A magistrate’s permission is mandatory before the police can investigate the case and arrests cannot be made without a warrant.

The JNU administration on Tuesday said that the students involved in the protest will face suspension, expulsion or debarment.

On Monday night, a gathering was organised by the JNU Student Union (JNUSU) titled “Night of Resistance with Guerrilla Dhaba” to mark the sixth anniversary of violence that broke out inside the campus on January 5, 2020. Around 35 students participated in the protest at JNU’s Sabarmati Hostel premises, according to at least three students that HT spoke to, during which the controversial slogans were allegedly raised against PM Modi, Shah, and industrialists Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.

Unverified videos of the protest showing students purportedly shouting the slogans surfaced on social media on Tuesday.

“The Jawaharlal Nehru University administration has vowed the strictest action against students found raising objectionable slogans against Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble home minister. An FIR has already been lodged in the matter,” the university said on X on Tuesday.

“Universities are centres for innovation and new ideas, and they cannot be permitted to be converted into laboratories of hate. Freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right. But any form of violence, unlawful conduct or anti-national activity will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Students involved in this incident will also face disciplinary measures including immediate suspension, expulsion and permanent debarment from the university,” it added.

The JNUSU said the gathering was organised to peacefully highlight the 2020 attack. On January 5, 2020, masked and armed people attacked several students and teachers at the Sabarmati Hostel at night, injuring at least 26 of them.

“JNUSU had organised a vigil on 5 January 2026 to keep the memory of 2020 attacks on JNU alive and to highlight the pattern of injustice at Sabarmati Hostel, which was the prime target of the 2020 attacks,” said JNUSU. “The JNUSU stands for peaceful and democratic modes of agitation. The vigil on 5 January 2026 was against the violence the university community had suffered,” it added.