Unidentified members wearing masks entered the JNU campus on Sunday night and launched an attack on students and faculty on campus, severely injuring many. Calls for SOS from inside the campus grew as students have reportedly locked themselves inside their hostel rooms. Students of the college in the capital have been tweeting. NDTV reports that almost 50 masked men, wielding lathis continue to be inside campus premises as of this writing. The attack reportedly around 6.30 pm when stones were thrown at a peace march of students and teachers. According to report, many masked people, including outsiders, entered the campus and attacked students and teachers.
Two officer-bearers of the JNU Students Union (JNUSU), including President Aishe Ghosh - who was reportedly hit over the eye with an iron rod, suffered from severe injuries.
Horrific visuals of JNU student president Aishe Ghosh being escorted from the attack with bleeding head injuries have emerged from campus.
"I have been brutally beaten up by masked people. I don't know who they were," Ghosh said as she broke into tears while blood flowed profusely from her head. She was taken to a nearby hospital. JNUSU General Secretary Satish Chandra was also injured in the attack.
According to the official account of the students' union on Twitter, not all the masked persons are reportedly students. “Professors who were trying to protect us have been beaten up. These are unknown ABVP goons, not all are students, they have covered their faces, and they are moving towards the hotels near the West Gate. Stay alert. Make human chains. Protect each other.” read one tweet.
#JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh brutally attacked. pic.twitter.com/ZT3P8K8JQH
— Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन (@Geeta_Mohan) January 5, 2020
JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh attacked brutally on the JNU campus by ABVP goons. @DilliDurAst @visually_kei @RanaAyyub pic.twitter.com/ZR4myQaZPp
— abhinit khanna (@abhinitk) January 5, 2020
The ABVP in turn told the media that the Left had unleashed terror in the campus. "Around 25 students have been seriously injured in the attack and there is no information about the whereabouts of 11 students. Many ABVP members are being attacked in hostels and hostels are being vandalised by the Leftist goons," the ABVP said.
According to a doctor at AIIMS, 15 students have been admitted with head injuries caused by sharp weapons and rods.
I am at AIIMS, Trauma Centre, 15 students of JNU got admitted here with severe head injuries inflicted through sharp weapons & rods. 2 of the student are in serious condition including JNU SU President and are shifted to red area, all the students were brutally beaten.
— Harjit Singh Bhatti (@DrHarjitBhatti) January 5, 2020
JNUSU Vice President Saket Moon also accused the ABVP of leading the attack, which was bolstered by outsiders. Visuals have emerged of Professor Sucharita Sen, a faculty member of the college, being rushed to AIIMS, New Delhi with head injuries.
Hostel rooms, and lobbies were vandalised during the assault while several vehicles standing on roads were damaged by the unidentified miscreants. The attackers first ransacked Sabarmati hostel and then moved to other hostels.
ABVP students to have been tweeting and the situation still remains tense.
(With inputs from agencies)