250 students of Maharshi Dayanand University booked for attempt to murder, rioting
The student unions had blocked the campus on Friday when police intervened and resorted to lathicharge. Around two dozen students were injured and many were detained by police.
The Rohtak police on Saturday booked around 250 students of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) under serious charges such as attempt to murder and rioting.
The case has been registered a day after the students clashed with police during their ongoing protest against the indirect form of student union elections in Haryana universities that are scheduled to take place on October 17.
“The students threw glass bottles and pelted stones on police. That is why Section 307 was also added in the FIR,” said Devender Kumar, SHO of the PGIMS police station. Other Sections include 146, 147, 148 and 149, he added.
The SHO said 22 students have been named in the FIR while more than 200 are unknown and currently being identified through video recordings of the incident.
Among those named are two girls and president of Indian National Students Organisation Pradeep Deswal, he added.
Nine out of 11 student unions were protesting against the government over indirect form of elections that are to take place in Haryana universities after a gap of over two decades.
The student unions had blocked the campus on Friday when police intervened and resorted to lathicharge. Around two dozen students were injured and many were detained by police to prevent any untoward situation.
Meanwhile, the student unions continued their protest against the government on Saturday and burnt effigies of MDU vice-chancellor (V-C) Bijender Punia for letting police enter the campus and rough up the students.
Meanwhile, Dr Ambedkar Students’ Federation of India state president Jagroop Singh Chirania accused the administration of the Chaudhary Devi Lal University (CDLU), Sirsa, of rejecting genuine nomination papers of various students.
He said they have sent a memorandum to the Haryana governor in this regard.
Students bodies to boycott polls
CHANDIGARH Various student organisations on Saturday announced to boycott the indirect student body polls scheduled to be held on October 17 across Haryana.
Talking to mediapersons, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) state president Divyanshu Budhiraja said students demanded direct polls in colleges and universities of Haryana, while the state government was preferred indirect polls so as to manipulate results in the favour of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the ruling BJP.
The NSUI is the student wing of the Congress, which is in opposition in Haryana.
Divyanshu, who was accompanied by representatives of several student bodies, said the Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), the student wing of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), namely and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), backed by CPI, have decided to boycott the polls among other organisations.
He said they will also hold demonstrations against the government on October 17.
