14 arrested in JNU protest case
New Delhi (PTI): Fourteen protesters were arrested in connection with a demonstration at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) here on Thursday evening, police said.
Those held JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) president Aditi Mishra, vice president Gopika Babu, former president Nitish Kumar, and joint secretary Danish Ali, among others, they said.
Police said an FIR has been registered under sections 132/3(5) (assault or criminal force), 221 (obstructing public servant) and 121(1) (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station.
ALSO READ: Police, students injured in clash during JNUSU protest march, over 50 detained
The arrests followed an attempted march by JNUSU members, who had gathered at Sabarmati T-Point on the campus and sought to move towards the education ministry as part of ongoing protests over JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit's recent remarks on a podcast over the implementation of UGC norms, rustication of JNUSU office bearers, and the proposed Rohith Act.
Police personnel, however, stopped the protesters at the heavily barricaded university gates, leading to a scuffle.
A total of 51 protesters, including Mishra and Kumar, were detained on Thursday evening, with Delhi Police claiming that the students resorted to physical assault, injuring several of its personnel, during the confrontation.
In a statement, the students' union called for a complete university strike and reiterated allegations of police excess during the march.
It claimed that 13 students, including three office-bearers, were detained and several students were "brutally attacked and injured", while a portrait of B. R. Ambedkar was damaged during the police action.
Among its demands, the JNUSU has sought the immediate and unconditional release of all, resignation of the vice-chancellor, action against police personnel over the alleged desecration of Ambedkar's portrait, and withdrawal of proctorial actions and FIRs against student activists.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) had earlier condemned the police action.
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Tumkur: 24-year-old rider killed in car-bike head-on collision in Tiptur
Tiptur: A 24-year-old rider was killed on the spot in a head-on collision between his motorbike and a car near Bidiregudi of Kasaba hobli in the taluk.
The deceased rider, Vijay Kumar, was a resident of BL Koppalu Basaveshwara Nagara in Kasaba hobli, Arsikere taluk.
He was reportedly returning home after work at a welding factory near TM Manjunath Nagar Gate, Tiptur, when a car coming from the opposite direction collided with his bike near Bidiregudi. Vijay Kumar is said to have died at the spot due to the impact of the collision.
Locals have blamed the lack of signboards and other precautionary measures amid the construction of a four-lane national highway in the area, mainly between Bidiregudi and Konehalli. They have said that the carelessness of the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI) has led to frequent accidents in the region.
“A meeting of officers from various government departments, including the police, was held recently under the chairmanship of the local legislator, but several NHAI officials were reportedly absent. Despite the meeting, officials appear careless in implementing safety measures, leading to a rise in accidents,” the locals said, demanding immediate action from the concerned authorities.
