Seven injured as ABVP, SFI activists clash in HP varsity

A violent clash broke out between activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) at Himachal Pradesh University, leaving at least seven injured. The incident occurred around 10 am on the university premises and quickly escalated into a violent confrontation. The injured students sustained head and hand injuries and were rushed to Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) for treatment.

Both student bodies have blamed each other for initiating the attack. According to SFI, their activists, including Pavinder, Ankush, Aryan, Sanjay and Jatin, were having breakfast near the administrative block when ABVP activists allegedly attacked them with sharp weapons. Meanwhile, ABVP claimed that SFI members ambushed their activists when they arrived on campus.

The clash is believed to have stemmed from tensions over wall writing. ABVP leader Ashish Sharma said for the past 10 to 15 days, SFI activists had been making inappropriate comments, using abusive language and even threatening ABVP women members. He accused the administration of removing security personnel from the campus, which, according to him, emboldened SFI activists to attack ABVP members. Sharma also mentioned that the ABVP had recently updated their wall writings, which were erased by SFI activists, escalating tensions further.

On the other hand, SFI campus secretary Ritesh alleged that the ABVP deliberately resorts to violence whenever the SFI intensifies its movements against the university administration. He claimed that a few days earlier, ABVP members armed with sharp weapons had chased SFI activists at night in the Sangti area, violating a peace agreement between the two groups.

Following the clash, the police arrived at the university and filed a complaint at the Boileauganj police station. Both student organizations have demanded strict action against each other.

The ongoing tensions highlight the growing rift between the two student bodies, with both sides accusing each other of provocation and violence. The lack of campus security has further aggravated the situation, raising concerns about student safety.