Unable to Give Security: JNU Hostel Wardens Resign After Violence

Violence had broken out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students.

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Two wardens of the Sabarmati Hostel inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus submitted their resignations on Monday, 6 January, on moral grounds, citing that they tried but couldn’t provide security to the students.

Violence had broken out at Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday night, 5 January, as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus, prompting the administration to call in police which conducted a flag march.

At least 28 people, including JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh, were injured as chaos reigned on the campus for nearly two hours.

In a letter, addressed to the Dean of Students, Senior Warden Ramavatar Meena and Recreation Warden Prakash Chandra Sahoo said that they were “unable” to provide enough security to the students.

(Photo: The Quint)

Sahoo said that he informed the security when the attack broke out at 7:00 pm.

(Photo: The Quint)

Sources close to wardens, however, alleged that a group of students cornered them when they reached the hostel and accused them of not providing security, reported PTI.

The students made the wardens sign the resignation papers forcefully, the sources claimed.

There is a massive deployment of security personnel as on 6 January at JNU, with authorities only allowing students with valid ID cards inside the campus which had witnessed violence.

According to sources, security was deployed outside the hostels, administration block and other important locations.

Entry of outsiders including media was restricted, the sources said.