Delhi Police have arrested 14 individuals, including office bearers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), following a protest march that allegedly turned violent on Thursday evening. The arrests were made after demonstrators attempted to march from the Sabarmati T-Point on campus towards the education ministry, defying restrictions imposed by the university administration.
Those taken into custody include JNUSU president Aditi Mishra, vice president Gopika Babu, joint secretary Danish Ali, and former president Nitish Kumar. Police officials confirmed that an FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station.
Authorities reported that around 25 police personnel sustained injuries during clashes with protesters, including senior officers such as ACP Vasant Kunj Ved Prakash and SHO Sarojini Nagar Atul Tyagi. A total of 51 people were initially detained, with 14 formally arrested after preliminary investigation.
The protests were sparked by remarks made by JNU Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit in a recent podcast, as well as ongoing student grievances over the implementation of UGC norms and disciplinary actions, including rustication orders. The JNU administration had denied permission for demonstrations outside campus, urging students to confine their activities within university premises.
The arrests have reignited debate over student activism and campus freedoms, with supporters calling the police action excessive, while officials maintain that law and order had to be enforced after the march escalated into violence.
