NEW DELHI: The ongoing
protest in Jawaharlal Nehru University on Monday took an ugly turn when the students tried to reach the Vice-Chancellor Jagadish Kumar's house but were stopped by the security.
While the VC was not at his residence, his wife, who was alone, was apparently confined to the house by the students.
Questioning the way of protesting, Kumar took to
Twitter to express his anguish over the incident and wrote, "This evening few hundred students forcibly broke into my
JNU residence and confined my wife inside home for several hours while I was away in a meeting.
Is it the way to protest? Terrorising a lonely lady at home?"
According to the
Delhi police, "There was a call for march till the JNU VC's house today. Students reached his house and tried to enter. They were stopped by the security staff. So far most of the students have gone back to their hostel. Few of them are still there."
The police, however, added that the situation is under control.
Seven students have been on a hunger strike since last week in protest against the online system of entrance exam that will be implemented from this academic session. The other issues include the decision to delink the integrated MPhil-PhD program without any deliberation or discussion in the academic council meeting and the decision to do away with BA second year admission.
According to sources, students from Left outfits went to the vice-chancellor's residence to demand an audience with him since he had not been meeting them. When they went to meet him last week, he offered them sweets rather than addressing their concerns.
"On Monday evening, the students allegedly barged inside Kumar's residence while he was away and surrounded his wife. Police were called in and the wives of other university professors rescued her," a professor said.
A student from a Left outfit rejected the allegation and said a group of students had gone to meet the VC, but they were allegedly manhandled by the security personnel.
"We had gone to his residence to meet the VC. We were manhandled by security personnel and many students have sustained injuries, including JNUSU president N Sai Balaji," the student said.
(With agency inputs)