BHU protest: Tension prevails as 1,000 students booked for violence; cops removed

Varanasi/Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday removed senior police officials in connection with the alleged crackdown on protesting students at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Sunday.

According to ANI, the Station House Officer (SO) Lanka, Circle Officer Bhelupur and one Additional City Magistrate (ACM) have been removed for failing to handle the violence inside the varsity campus.

While the university authorities have blamed ''outsiders'' for the violence inside the campus, the city Police Commissioner has called for a detailed probe into the incident.

Dozens of students have been detained in connection with the violence that erupted on the varsity campus on Sunday after the police used force to evict them. 

An FIR against 1,000 students has also been filed at the Lanka Police Station for arson and other charges, Varanasi SSP said.

The atmosphere inside the Banaras Hindu University still remains tense, and there’s a heavy police deployment on campus.

The BHU authorities have decided to call Dussehra breaks, three days before the scheduled holidays begin, and suspended all classes till October 2.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has, meanwhile, sought a report from Divisional Commissioner about the lathi-charge by the police on BHU students, including women.

"I have sought a report from the Divisional Commissioner, Varanasi, about the entire incident," the CM said in Lucknow. 

Violence inside the campus erupted after some students, protesting against the alleged eve-teasing incident of Thursday, went to meet the Vice Chancellor at his residence.

The protesting students were demanding action against those involved in the alleged eve-teasing of a woman student of Arts, while she was returning to her hostel on Thursday.

Three bike-borne men had abused her and fled when she resisted their attempts, according to the complainant.

The woman alleged that varsity security guards, about 100 metres from where the incident happened, did nothing to stop the men.

She said her warden, instead of taking up the issue with her superiors, asked her why was she was returning late to the hostel.

The warden's response angered the student's colleagues, who sat on a 'dharna' at the main gate midnight Thursday. One of the students even got her head tonsured.

BHU students alleged they have to face eve-teasers on the campus regularly and the varsity administration was not taking any action to stop the miscreants.

Police and BHU professors tried to pacify the students yesterday, but they refused to end their protest and sought assurance from the university vice-chancellor.

The varsity issued a statement last night, saying the 'dharna' by the students just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit was "politically motivated" to malign the image of the university.

The university also said that security guards were regularly patrolling the campus and assistance from the police is sought from time-to-time to maintain peace in the campus.

On the other hand, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has strongly condemned the lathi-charge of the students in BHU.