Clashes at Ramjas College over JNU student Umar Khalid’s event

NEW DELHI: Clashes erupted between two student groups outside Ramjas College here on Wednesday, a day after the ABVP forced the suspension of an event to be addressed by JNU student Umar Khalid, jailed last year for allegedly shouting anti-national slogans.

A large number of policemen and policewomen were deployed at the college but the clashes continued. ANI

New Delhi, February 22

Violent clashes broke out between Left-affiliated AISA and RSS-backed ABVP at DU's Ramjas college on Wednesday over a seminar invite to JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid which left "several students and three teachers injured".

Police said around 40 students were detained to prevent the row from escalating.

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Clashes broke out when a group of students and teachers tried to hold a protest march to demand action against ABVP for alleged vandalism and disruption of a seminar that was to have two JNU students — among them Khalid, a student leader who had been charged with sedition for a controversial event held at the university last year — speak.

The college authorities withdrew their invitation on Tuesday, a decision that was criticised by some students and teachers.

The ABVP however forestalled the march on Wednesday, locked down the college's seminar room and pelted stones, as AISA tried to force itself into the college to “free the captives”.

Abha Dev, member of DU Teachers' Association, claimed that several students and three teachers of different DU colleges were injured in the clashes and taken to Hindu Rao hospital.

There was no police confirmation on injuries yet.

"Not only the ABVP completely disrupted the seminar, they are also abusing, beating women and even journalists. Why can't the police see such hooliganism? There is plenty police presence on campus but nobody from ABVP has been detained yet," Shehla Rashid, who was formerly JNU Students' Union vice president ho was also invited to speak, said.

A senior police official said: “Around 40-50 students have been detained to prevent further escalation. They will be released after sometimes. The situation is under control".

Khalid was among the students charged with sedition in connection with an event at JNU last year where some "anti- national" slogans were allegedly raised while Shehla was instrumental in the movement against the students' arrest. — PTI

#WATCH: Clash between AISA and ABVP students over cancellation of JNU student Umar Khalid's talk at Delhi's Ramjas College. pic.twitter.com/YD15j8dMWr
— ANI (@ANI_news) February 22, 2017