Video Producer: Aparna Singh
Video Editor: Mohd. Irshad Alam
A clash erupted at Allahabad Central University in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, 19 December, between students and security guards after an argument over entry to the campus.
A purported video showing students throwing stones at the guards and the deployed police has gone viral on social media.
Meanwhile, a motorcycle was set on fire. Another video doing the rounds on social media purportedly showed the guards beating students with batons near the main gate.
Why did the clash erupt? The violence erupted after a former student leader named Vivekanand Pathak had an argument with the university guards who were allegedly not letting him enter the campus.
The leader has been part of a prolonged protest at the campus over fee hike that has been going on for a few months. The university administration has said it will not take back the fees hike.
Allegations of firing by security guards have also been raised. Both sides have claimed injuries.
What's the situation now? The police has said the situation came under control.
Commissioner of Police Ramit Sharma told reporters the students have been made to sit near the students' union office and all their complaints will be heard.
What has the university said? Allahabad Central University's spokesperson Jaya Kapoor claimed that some unruly elements tried to break open the lock of the university gate and assaulted the security guards.
She told The Quint, "After this, the miscreants vandalised and set fire on the premises...due to which an atmosphere of fear and anarchy prevailed on the campus."
"The miscreants are not students of the university. They set a motorcycle on fire, broke the glasses of two teachers' cars, set a generator on fire and also torched the university canteen...It is regrettable that the police had to see this entire incident as a mute spectator. The unruly elements also fired shots in the air," she further claimed.
What has the student leader said? Speaking to The Quint, Pathak alleged that he was going to the university for some bank-related work.
He said:
"I was going to get KYC done in the University campus bank. During this, the security guard present there stopped me from entering. When I asked him that I had to go in for my work, he started a fight with me and attacked me with the butt of the gun. This caused my head to explode and I fell on the ground. Seeing me falling on the ground, the students present there ran to pick me up. Seeing this the guard started firing."Vivekanand Pathak
Another student leader who was present there — Ajit Yadav told The Quint that:
"Vivekanand Pathak, former student leader of Allahabad University, had to go to the bank for some work. But, the guard was not letting him go. Pathak called an employee of the bank and said that if you do not believe me talk to him, he is a bank employee. On this the guard threw the mobile away and started abusing Pathak. Suddenly, he attacked Pathak with the butt of his gun. By the time we reached there, some more guards had come there and started firing on seeing the students. There must have been about 5-6 rounds of firing."
In light of the violence in the university, the varsity has shut its campus for Tuesday.
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