FIR against 1000 students for BHU violence

Image: Representational/ File

Varanasi: An FIR has been registered against over 1,000 students in connection with the violence in the Banaras Hindu University here and also against policemen involved in the baton-charge on protesters. Separate FIRs have been registered at the Lanka Police Station in connection with the violence on the campus, the police said today.

Besides the students, an FIR has been filed against unidentified policemen involved in the baton-charge. A number of students, including women, and two journalists were injured in a lathicharge by the police in the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) where a protest on Saturday night against an alleged eve-teasing incident turned violent. The violence erupted after some students, protesting against the incident on Thursday, wanted to meet the varsity's vice chancellor at his residence. The baton-charge on protesting students today triggered protests in the city with Samajwadi Party workers holding a dharna. Over 200 Samajwadi Party activists were detained while they were going to meet the injured students as well as protesting students Samajwadi Party's state spokesperson Manoj Rai Dhoopchandi said a special commitee comprising senior party leaders was heading to BHU to meet the injured students and also enquire about the incident from protesting students when the police detained them. "Unfortunately, the police stopped us from going to BHU, so we sat on dharna at the Singhdwar (in front of BHU main gate)," the SP leader said. Police dispersed the SP workers staging dharna and detained over 100 SP workers and sent them to police lines. The SP leaders raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also social activist Teesta Setalvad was detained by police when she arrived in the city to attend a program.