JNU erupts over 'Shaheed Afzal Guru', 'Azad Kashmir'; rival student groups clash, police deployed

New Delhi, Feb 10: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Tuesday night witnessed clashes between two student groups over Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 09, 2013 in Tihar Jail.

The incident happened after a group of students organised a programme and termed the hanging of the Parliament attack convict as "judicial killing”.

The students allegedly shouted slogans hailing 'Shaeed Afzal Guru' and also chanted anti-India slogans. They also expressed solidarity with "struggle" of Kashmiri migrants and advocated for 'Azad Kashmir'.

Notably, the university authorities had not give permission to hold any programme supporting Afzal Guru as they "feared" the same might "disrupt" peace on campus.

Student organisers had pasted posters across the campus inviting them to gather for a protest march against "judicial killing of Afzal Guru" and in solidarity with "struggle" of Kashmiri migrants, at varsity's Sabarmati dhaba.

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) affiliated ABVP objected to such a program and complained to the Vice Chancellor.

However, when the other group didn't relent and went ahead with the event, the ABVP supporters went ahead and protested, which led to the scuffle between the two student groups.

The authorities later called the police in order to restore law and order in the campus.

JNU VC Jagdeesh Kumar told PTI, “Earlier we were told that it is going to be a cultural programme. When I got to know that it is a protest, we decided to cancel the programme as it is administration's responsibility to ensure peace and calm on campus.”