Attack On JNU : Injured Professor Sucharita Sen Files Complaint; Police FIR On Violence Mentions No Offences Of Hurt [Read Complaint & FIRs]

Jawaharlal Nehru University Professor Sucharita Sen, who had suffered head injuries in the brutal attack by goons on Sunday night,  filed a complaint before the Vasant Kunj North police station through her lawyer Tara Narula on Tuesday. In the letter authorising Narula to file the complaint on her behalf, Sen cites the injuries sustained by her the reason for not being able to do so in person. She was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after sustaining injuries to her head, shoulder and thighs, and has enclosed medical documents to that effect in her letter.

Her complaint is regarding serious offences committed by a group of persons, "some masked and with covered faces, (who) had congregated within the JNU campus with lathis, sticks, rods, bricks, stones and other deadly weapons which would be sufficient to cause death or grievous injury in the normal course of events." These alleged offences, under the IPC, include attempt to murder (S.307), rioting with deadly weapons (Sections 147, 148, 149), voluntarily causing grievous hurt (Sections 323, 324, 325, 326), acting rashly to endanger life and safety of others (Sections 336, 337), wrongful restraint (S. 339), criminal intimidation and conspiracy (S. 506 r/w S 120B) and common intention.

Sen describes the seriousness of the attack, which caused her a head injury as a result of "stone pelting emanating from unlawful assembly" and accuses the mob of damaging "University and private property, including (her car), (which) was also vandalised and damaged". The complaint, thereafter, narrates the sequence of events that took place in the JNU campus to describe "the near murderous assault on students and faculty" on January 5.

In her complaint, she has further pointed out that usually people from outside are not allowed inside the campus but on that day "a large number of people" came inside carrying weapons. Her colleague messaged the Chief Security Officer about the situation but the officer only asked them to contact the police and took no other action, which he was duty bound to do. Given the nature of the incident, Sen has requested the police to investigate and act against the perpetrators according to the sections mentioned.  

It is pertinent to note that with respect to the violence on Sunday, the Vasant Kunj police has registered an FIR (FIR No. 06/2020). The FIR is lodged on the basis of information by Inspector Anand Yadav, who is stated to have been present in the campus during the time. Curiously, the FIR does not name any accused persons and does not mention any offences with respect to grievous hurt or bodily injury. It only has offences with respect to unlawful assembly and rioting under IPC (Sections 145, 147, 148, 149, 151) and Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The gist of allegations in this FIR is as follows :

"There had been protests for a few days by students against hostel fee hike inside the campus. As per High Court orders, which had stated there should not be any protest or unlawful assembly within 100mts of the campus, the police was stationed outside the staff administration block on Jan 5. Around 3.45 pm we got info that some people had gathered at Periyar hostel and were engaging in violence and vandalism. We reached and saw 40-50 random people covering their faces with cloth and mufflers, holding sticks lathis etc were beating up students. Upon seeing police they ran and we received a request from JNU admin to control the situation. We called for police backup and appealed to the students to remain calm and peaceful. Around 7 we got info that miscreants were vandalising and beating students in Sabarmati hostel. We reached there and found 50-60 people engaging in violence and asked them to peacefully disperse but they continued to damage property etc. Some students were hurt and we sent them to hospital".

The FIR says that the mob "disobeyed the orders of police".

The Vasant Kunj police has registered another FIR (FIR No.04/2020) against JNUSU leader Aishe Ghosh and 19 others on allegations of assault and abuse of security guards during anti-fee hike protest on January 4. Notably, this FIR is seen registered on Sunday night around 8.45 PM, couple of hours after the mob attack on students. This FIR has been filed under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

Click here to download Prof Sucharita Sen's complaint

Click here to download FIR against Aishe Ghosh and others

Click here to download FIR in respect of Jan 5 violence

 Read Prof Sucharita Sen's complaint

Read FIR against Aishee Ghosh and other students

Read FIR in respect of January 5 violence