JNU vice chancellor ’trapped’ in all-night protests over missing student Najeeb Ahmed

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Oct 20, 2016:  The Vice Chancellor of Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University and five more officials were forced to spend the night on campus and remained hemmed in on Thursday morning after all-night drama and protests over missing student Najeeb Ahmad. The police were called in last night.

Najeeb Ahmed, a student of JNU’s School of Biotechnology, has been missing since Saturday after a brawl in his hostel.
   
The Left-linked All India Students Association has alleged that before he vanished, Mr Ahmed was beaten up by activists of the ABVP, which is linked to the ruling BJP.
   
The police have announced a reward of Rs. 50,000 for any information on Mr Ahmed.
   
Protests over his mystery disappearance escalated on Wednesday evening as hundreds of students demanded action and an assurance from JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar that enough was being done to look for Mr Ahmed.
   
In a series of tweets, the Vice Chancellor appealed to the students to stop blocking their exit and agree to a discussion. "We appeal to the students who have physically confined us to stop this and come for discussion. Let us discuss and resolve," he tweeted.
   
Two rounds of talks between the Vice-Chancellor and students failed. Slogans of "Hum Sab Najeeb" rang out intermittently through the night.
   
This morning, the Vice Chancellor and others were still inside the administrative building as scores of students remained outside, some of them sleeping. The student council will meet this afternoon to decide their next course of action.
   
Last night, the JNU Students’ Union president Mohit Sharma said, "We have not illegally confined anybody. Electricity and all kind of supplies are here. We have also sent food for the people."
   
Classes have been disrupted for three days over the protests at the prestigious university which has seen clashes this year over sedition charges against students including former students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar.
   
On Tuesday, the missing student’s parents - residents of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh -- sat in protest near his hostel.  They had come to Delhi after a frantic phone call from their son on Friday night.