Allahabad University rocked by students protesting eviction

“A group of students, led by office bearers of the students' union, surrounded the University’s Registrar, NK Shukla’s residence, where the executive council meeting was underway and shouted slogans demanding action against alleged financial irregularities,” Shalabh Mathur, Senior Superintendent of Police was quoted as saying.

Prohibitory orders had been clamped in the area a few days ago in view of the unrest caused by a drive to evict unlawful occupants from university hostels following an order of the Allahabad High Court.

“On receiving information that a large number of students had gathered at the residence, a police party rushed to the spot. Most of the agitators ran away but four of them were arrested,” the SSP said.

According to sources, police registered a case against 2,000 students. Section 144 has been imposed in the campus. Students were protesting the proposed fee hike (will be implemented from next semester beginning July-2017) and forceful eviction of ‘students’ from hostels.

“Students resented the arrests and despite efforts to explain that arrests were due to violation of prohibitory orders, some of them turned violent and allegedly hurled stones at police personnel, damaging a number of vehicles parked nearby and smashing window panes,” said Mathur.

They allegedly torched a bus parked near a hostel and set fire to a pile of old tyres on one of the roads, bringing traffic to a standstill.

The agitators were chased away with the help of the Rapid Action Force and the Provincial Armed Constabulary, said the officer, adding that the situation was under control.

Earlier, a student had filed a petition in the High Court demanding possession of the room which was allotted to him. He was allotted a room in Tarachand hostel but he found it was occupied by an ‘outsider’ who refused to move out.

Acting on his petition, the Allahabad HC ordered the university administration, police to remove illegal occupants from all 15 hostels and start afresh the process of allotment.

The former vice president of the students’ union, Vikrant Singh, who is leading the protest, accused the Vice Chancellor Ratan Lal Hangloo of dictatorship. Talking to the local media, he said, “The university administration has falsely implicated students. HC directed to remove illegal occupants but the administration is insisting on evicting even legitimate students.”

As of now the administration has halted the drive considering the exams. The last exam will be on May 18. After that the administration is committed to begin the process again.

Registrar NK Shukla said that FIR against students was lodged by police not by university administration. According to him HC directed students to maintain law and order but they did not follow the order.

The University of Allahabad, which was founded in 1887, was given the status of a central university in 2005 but the hostel facilities are very poor and new hostels have not been constructed, complained students.

With PTI Inputs