Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Students’ Protest Against Victim-Shaming a Female Student Turns Violent; Vehicles Torched, Stones Pelted

Outside Singh Dwaar, students allegedly set two-wheelers afire, and vandalised a police booth.

Updated: September 24, 2017 10:26 AM IST

By India.com News Desk

Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Students' Protest Against Victim-Shaming a Female Student Turns Violent; Vehicles Torched, Stones Pelted
Courtesy: PTI

Varanasi, September 24: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) witnessed violent clashes on Saturday night between a group of students and police when the former were protesting against the alleged shaming of a molestation victim by the university administration. While the students, including a large number of girls, allegedly engaged in arson and stone-pelting, the police used force to quell the violent protest.

Highlights

  • BHU students go on a rampage as they set vehicles on fire.
  • Students were demanding an audience with the V-C over an alleged victim-shaming of a female students by university administration.
  • The police also resorted to lathi-charge.

The university administration claimed the protest was politically motivated, as students related to Left-leaning AISA and Samajwadi Party’s students wing manufactured protest during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the city.

An Amar Ujala report stated that the protesting students clashed with police and security guards outside V-C’s residence. The police lathi-charged, injuring six students. The students went berserk after the use of force by police and started pelting stones, injuring a few security guards.

The national daily reported that at 12.15 am eight petrol bombs were also hurled from a hostel. Students also pelted stones inside a hospital, creating panic in patients. At Lanka Chauraha in the holy city, a large number of students also chased policemen.

Outside Singh Dwaar, students allegedly set some two-wheelers afire, and vandalised a police booth. The city administration has deployed the police force of 23 stations in the campus. One Vajra truck, and five companies of PAC have also been deployed. The BHU administration has announced vacation until October 2.

Earlier, the protesting students had set on fire a hoarding that had the image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was in the city on Saturday.

The protest erupted after a female student, who was molested by three men in the campus, was allegedly shamed by the university administration. She alleged that the administration blamed her for the incident as she was outside college hostel after 6 pm.

According to the Indian Express, the victim met Vice-Chancellor GC Tripathi to complain about the incident. She had agreed to withdraw from the protest after an assurance by Tripathi. But police said the students were still protesting outside the main gate.

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