Lucknow University suspends admission process after attack on staff, says V-C

Lucknow University vice-chancellor SP Singh said “anti-social elements” had attacked teachers and staffers.

The University of Lucknow has decided to suspend its admission process in the wake of an attack on varsity staffers by “anti-social elements”, vice-chancellor SP Singh said on Wednesday.

University officials told police that an agitation was on at the campus for past two or three days over demands related to admission. (HT Photo)

The vice-chancellor said chief proctor Vinod Singh and other staffers suffered injuries when a group of around 25 people – mostly students expelled from the institution – pelted them with stones on the institution campus. Terming the incident as “unprecedented”, he denounced the police for acting like mute spectators when maintaining law and order on the campus was their responsibility.

Vinod Singh said he alerted the police on two occasions on Wednesday, but received no response. RK Singh, dean of student welfare, and RR Yadav, dean of the college development council, were among those injured in the incident.

According to the vice-chancellor, he was leaving his office to address a function around 11.30 am when one of the assailants, Akash Saxena Lala, lay down in front of his car. When he alighted from the vehicle, a few others – including Vinay Yadav and one Himanshu – surrounded him and began raising slogans. They allegedly threatened him with dire consequences unless he readmitted them to the institution.

The expelled students struck again later that day, around 1.30 pm. The vice-chancellor was coming out of the function venue along with a team of staffers when a group of 23 students – led by Ashish Singh Boxer and Akit Singh Babu – attacked them. Although SP Singh managed to escape unhurt, the staffers accompanying him were not as lucky.