?Abrupt change in poll schedule sparked violence?

MADHAV COLLEGE staff council?s abrupt decision to postpone students union elections for want of certain formalities sparked violence, in which a professor was killed and another humiliated by blackening his face. As against 45 posts to be filled up, only 5 nominations, all from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, had been received on schedule, while NSUI had boycotted the polls.

MADHAV COLLEGE staff council’s abrupt decision to postpone students union elections for want of certain formalities sparked violence, in which a professor was killed and another humiliated by blackening his face. As against 45 posts to be filled up, only 5 nominations, all from Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, had been received on schedule, while NSUI had boycotted the polls.

HT Image

After consulting legal experts, the staff council decided to postpone the elections around noon on August 26, College Principal LN Verma said.

Mr Verma said postponement of polls was the only option before staff council. State ABVP President Shashi Ranjan Singh Akela, who is a school teacher, and its Organising Secretary Vimal Tomar were arrested by the CID on the charge of murdering Prof H S Sabharwal. Another professor M L Nath was attacked and his face blackened by the students at the college premises.

A total of 34 people have been arrested so far in three cases registered in connection with the students’ violence. NSUI leader Aniketan Sen had been arrested last night. Five ABVP workers and 23 Congress and NSUI workers had been released on bail.