JNU VC says probe into last year's violence on campus delayed due to Covid pandemic
New Delhi, (PTI): Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said the coronavirus pandemic has delayed the probe into the violence on the campus in January last year that left around 35 people injured.
Asked why the committee set up by the university to probe the incident did not conduct online depositions, he said the students are already under a lot of stress and it is not the right time to send them notices for online depositions.
A group of masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the JNU campus on January 5, 2020, prompting the university administration to call in the police.
JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh was among those injured in the violence.
Days after the incident, JNU set up a five-member committee to probe the incident and recommend measures to ensure the safety of students.
"The committee is looking into the matter. It has to call the students for deposition. Is it the right time to call them when they are in their hometowns? For this, we need to see the condition. These are our students. Considering the Covid situation, depositions have not been conducted. We are waiting for the situation to normalise," Kumar told PTI on Friday.
Asked why the committee did not conduct online depositions, the VC said, "The situation is not conducive. We are waiting. Students are already under a lot of stress. It is not the right time to send them notices for participating in an online deposition. We don't consider our students as criminals. They are our own students."
In August this year, the Lok Sabha was informed by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai that the Delhi Police had not arrested anyone in connection with the JNU violence, even though several people were examined.
After the violence, there was a clamour for Kumar's removal as the JNU VC and the Delhi Police came under attack for not acting when the mob was running riot on the campus and especially, for naming student union leaders, including Ghosh, in two FIRs for alleged vandalism.
On the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers Association (JNUTA) objection to the renewal of the contract of security agency Cyclops for another two years by the university's Executive Council (EC), Kumar said the contract had not been renewed but extended till the process of appointing a new agency is completed.
"If you want to appoint a security agency, then you have to follow the tendering process and the General Financial Rules laid down by the government. During this Covid period, many of our staff members were down (with coronavirus). You cannot suddenly ask the security people to pack their bags and leave and put the security of the campus at risk," he said.
"The EC took a decision that the security company will continue," he said.
The VC stressed that the contract hasn't been renewed but only extended till the process of appointing a new security agency is completed. This process will require at least six months, he said.
In a statement issued on September 9, the JNUTA had said that the EC had renewed the security contract of Cyclops for another two years despite its failure to prevent the violent attack on students and faculty members on January 5, 2020 and the spate of burglaries on campus during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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Allahabad HC orders probe into 'reinstatement' of teacher in UP's Barabanki
Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.
The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.
A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.
In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.
Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.
The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.
