Pro-Left student bodies staged a protest outside IIT Madras on Wednesday, condemning the attack on PhD scholar, R Sooraj, for taking part in a beef fest in the campus opposing the Centre's ban on sale of cattle for slaughter.
Sooraj, associated with the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, was injured in his right eye, and was admitted to a private hospital after Tuesday's assault, allegedly by eight students who claimed to be Sangh Parivar supporters.
Watch The Quint’s Facebook live from IIT Madras below:
Expressing solidarity with Sooraj, members of various student organisations, like the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Students Federation of India (SFI), gathered outside IIT-M and shouted slogans condemning the attack on Sooraj. They demanded that the handful of students who were involved in the attack on Sooraj, should be suspended and an inquiry be launched soon. They also want Soorja’s medical expenses to be paid by the institute.
Representatives of the student protestors submitted a letter to the dean describing the events that transpired to the assault of R Sooraj. In the letter they wrote that a student by the name of Manish Kumar Singh asked Sooraj if he had eaten beef when he found him in the Himalaya mess during lunch hours. When Sooraj replied in affirmative, Manish got furious and attacked Sooraj. A group of students who had accompanied Sooraj also joined in on the attack, the letter contended.
They also shouted slogans against the central government. The police later arrested the protesters.
Similarly, members of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam held a beef eating protest outside IIT-M.
Meanwhile, the city police on Wednesday said they have registered a case against eight persons in connection with the attack on Sooraj. However, no arrests have been made.
Manish Kumar Singh, who had allegedly attacked Sooraj, also filed a complaint claiming that he too was attacked. But those who support Sooraj claimed that his account was fabricated.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)