Delhi Police files FIR against six JNU students after protest turns tense

New Delhi: Delhi Police registered an FIR on Sunday against six students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), including three office bearers of the caretaker student union, following a protest that turned tense on Saturday evening. The case, filed at Vasant Kunj North police station, cites Sections 221, 121(2), 132, and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The students named are JNUSU president Nitish Kumar (26), vice-president Manisha (28), and general secretary Munteha Fatima (28). Police stated that these students were “bound down”, while other students detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act would be handed over to university authorities after medical evaluations.The demonstration on Saturday, organised by left-aligned student groups such as the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), sought the registration of complaints against Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members accused of attacking students during recent School General Body Meetings. Around 70–80 students gathered near the JNU West Gate and attempted to march toward Vasant Kunj police station.

Student organisations alleged that police used excessive force. An AISA spokesperson said, “JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, vice-president Manisha, general secretary Munteha Fatima, and councillor Abhishek were beaten and forcibly detained. Abhishek suffered internal injuries and required hospitalisation. We were seeking justice, not assault.” The SFI also claimed that female students were physically manhandled. The groups have demanded the immediate release of those detained and an independent inquiry.

Police, however, offered a different account, stating that the protesters tried to break through barricades on Nelson Mandela Marg, causing traffic disruptions. Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Goel said, “Six personnel were injured after being manhandled by students. To prevent escalation, 28 students, including JNUSU office bearers, were taken into custody. No undue force was applied, and all measures were lawful.”

The unrest traces back to earlier in the week when a general body meeting at JNU’s School of Social Sciences became chaotic. Left-affiliated students accused ABVP members of violence, while ABVP claimed their members faced discrimination and assault. The resulting “social march for social justice”, circulated online as posters and under the hashtag #SOSJNU, culminated in Saturday’s confrontation.