BHU violence: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath seeks report; students, journalist injured in police lathicharge

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday sought a detailed report from the Varanasi administration on the violence that erupted in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus following a lathicharge by police on students protesting against increaing eve-teasing incidents in varsity campus.

"I have sought a detailed report from the Varanasi Divisional Commissioner about the entire incident," Adityanath talking to media said in Lucknow.

A large number of students, including women, two journalists were injured in the lathicharge by Uttar Pradesh Police in BHU campus. Several police personnel were also injured.

The University campus on Sunday evening announced ‘holiday’s from Monday till October 2.

Yogi-government sought a report from the divisional commissioner about the incident as various political parties including the Samajwadi Party criticised the government and condemned the lathicharge on students by police.

According to police, violence in the varsity campus erupted after some students protesting against the alleged eve-teasing incident of Thursday wanted to meet the BHU Vice Chancellor at his residence on Saturday night but were stopped by the university guards.

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A BHU spokesperson said, “Students wanted to enter the Vice Chancellor’s residence forcibly but when stopped by the guards there was stone pelting.”

He added that they have learnt that ‘outsiders’ who had joined the students in the protest had pelted stones.

Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party president condemned the lathicharge on the BHU students.

The former chief minister said, “The government should resolve the issue by talks not lathicharge. Stringent action should be taken against the guilty.”

On Saturday night BHU had issued a statement saying the ‘dharna’ by the students just prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit is being ‘politically motivated’ to malign the image of the varsity.

Also read| BHU: Security forces use lathicharge against protesting students at campus; 4 injured

Senior administrative and police officials reached the BHU campus to control the situation. Around 1500 policemen have been deployed in the university campus to prevent any untoward incident.

The students of the university have been protesting near the BHU’s main gate since Thursday against rise in eve-teasing incidents on the campus.  

The protest was largely triggered after a woman student was allegedly harassed by three men on motorcycle inside the varsity campus.

According to the complaint lodged by the victim she was returning to her hostel around 9:00pm when she was abused by men on motorcycle. She raised an alert but university security gurads standing 100 meters away from the incident site did not do anything to stop the men.

The victim informed the warden about the incident but was asked, ‘Why was she was returning late to hostel.’

The response by the angered the university students, who later sat on ‘dhrana’ at main gate from Thursday midnight.