A student pursuing MSc in biotechnology in Jawaharlal Nehru University has gone missing after what seems like an alleged scuffle with an Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) member.
Protesting students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University “illegally confined” the University’s top brass, including the Vice Chancellor and rector, on Wednesday evening in connection with the case of a missing student. They were let off late Wednesday night.
On the night of 14 October, three students, Vikrant Kumar, Ankit Kumar and Sunil Pratap were involved in a brawl with Najeeb Ahmed when they were having their regular door-to-door campaigning session at around 11:30 pm.
The above mentioned altercation took place in room number 106 of Mahi-Mandvi Hostel where Najeeb had moved into only 20-odd days before the incident. The hostel elections are due next month and Vikrant is one the candidates contesting for the secretary post.
It is not clear what led to the brawl, as Najeeb’s roommate was not present at that time.
The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) gave a call for “total shutdown” of the university and “non co-operation” with the administration. The JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) too condemned the use of the term “accused” for Ahmed.
A case of abduction was registered at Vasant Kunj (North) police station on Sunday following Ahmed’s disappearance.
There is no single version of what happened on Friday night at the Mahi-Mandavi Hostel, but what is common in all the narratives is there was definitely some altercation.
After asking a few questions, The Quint found two versions of the story.
JNUSU’s Story
The Quint spoke to a few students staying in the hostel. Amardeep, a first year MTech student of Computer science, agreed with JNUSU’s press release that Najeeb had moved into the hostel a few days before the incident took place. Najeeb used to be upset about something and did not interact with many people in the hostel.
JNUSU’s press release said that after the initial scuffle, the three students went back to mobilise a group of 10-15 students and came back to thrash Najeeb, this time in the presence of the senior warden Dr Sushil Kumar, JNUSU President Mohit Pandey and the on-campus G4S security.
It said that people who tried to stop the mob were also beaten up.
JNUSU’s press release describing how the incident took place and also mentioned that ABVP activists were trying to communalise the issue.
JNUSU members said that it was important as of now to find the student and not to politicise the matter.
When asked about Najeeb’s disappearance, we got to know that Najeeb had called his mother on 15 October but he left the hostel before his mother could reach the hostel. He did not take his wallet and phone. “If he wanted to flee, why would he not take his wallet with him and why would he call his mother before fleeing?” asked Amardeep.
His mother, Fatima Nafeesi, verified this in a statement to The Indian Express. She said, “He said nothing except that ‘Mere saath koi haadsa ho gaya hai, aap aa jaiye (There has been an incident, please come)’. I told him I would leave as soon as possible, but cannot make it to Delhi before noon the next day. I called his roommate Mohd Qasim, who said it was just a small incident and everything was under control.”
I spoke to him again on Saturday at 11 am, from Anand Vihar Railway Station, and told him I was on the way, but when I reached the university around noon, he was gone. His mobile phone, wallet and everything else was in the room. Now I sit holding his mobile, hoping he will call me any minute.Fatima Nafeesi, Najeeb’s Mother to The Indian Express
After a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor on Monday, JNUSU president Mohit Pandey addressed the students and said, “While we were in a meeting with the administration, the registrar texted Saurabh Sharma (former joint secretary from ABVP) and called him. They’ve called the victim an ‘accused’ in a press release… there is no point in engaging with them. We need to go for total non co-operation.”
ABVP’s Story
The Quint also spoke to Saurabh Sharma, an ABVP member who said that out of the three students, only Vikrant was a ABVP member. Sharma said that Najeeb had an argument with Vikrant over the “red thread” the latter was wearing, following which, Najeeb slapped him.
According to him, Vikrant and his friends then complained to the warden and he called for a meeting in which Najeeb accepted slapping Vikrant without any provocation.
Saurabh said a report was prepared on the discussion with the warden and everyone present there, including JNUSU president Mohit, signed it. Mohit, however, denied singing any such paper.
Below is a copy of the report posted by Saurabh Sharma on his Facebook profile.
- 01/02(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Saurabh Sharma)
- 02/02(Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Saurabh Sharma)
As punishment, Najeeb was asked to vacate the hostel by 21 October, Saurabh said.
Saurabh claimed that JNUSU members later threatened the ABVP members.
He said that Mohit and the other candidate for the mess election asked the ABVP activists to meet them at the North Gate where they would ‘show the Hindus their place’.
After the alleged threat from JNUSU members, Vikrant and his friends were worried about their safety and were kept in a safe location.
He also claimed that 200-400 Muslim students from Jamia Millia Islamia University and Delhi University came into the JNU campus but couldn’t cause any problem because Sharma didn’t let his activists go to the gate.
Sharma claimed to have spoken to the police officers at the Vasant Kunj Police station who had assured him that they are trying their best to find the missing student.
Keeping aside all the conflicting narratives, no one knows where Najeeb is. If you believe his mother and his roommate, he was there in the hostel till 11 am but if you believe ABVP activists, he had left the hostel at 2 am in the night.
No one knows whether it was a communal issue or just a fight that turned ugly.
The only thing that people are sure of is, Najeeb has been missing and it has been three days now and there is a mother who is waiting for her son.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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