#CampusWatch: 15 BHU students booked for rioting and arson; here’s the story so far

15 Banaras Hindu University students have been booked on the charges of rioting and arson

By: News Desk |
December 22, 2017 12:50 pm

A day after Banaras Hindu University (BHU) students went on a rampage in the campus protesting against the arrest of a member of the BHU unit of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha, Varanasi Police on Thursday, December 21, booked 15 current and former students of Banaras Hindu University’s (BHU) on the charges of rioting and arson.

The FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by BHU Chief Proctor Royana Singh on Thursday, December 21. However, the police haven’t detained anyone yet. “We are facing delays due to technical difficulties in receiving the CCTV footage… the students have broken the cameras. We do not want to pick up anyone without being entirely sure,” Varanasi IG Deepak Ratan told The Indian Express.

Here’s what happened
Nearly 30 students had gone on a rampage in BHU setting several vehicles including a school bus on fire, manhandling university staff and damaging doors of the ATMs. The students were allegedly protesting against the arrest of SP student wing leader Ashutosh Singh. He was arrested on November 10 for his alleged involvement in creating a disturbance at the IIT-BHU campus.

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According to reports, he was protesting against a cultural event which he claimed promoted obscenity. Infuriated by his arrest, his followers damaged the vehicles on the school campus. They also damaged the CCTV camera network.

Check out the tweet here:

Varanasi: Clashes between Police and protesters after BHU student leader Ashutosh was arrested on charges of obstructing an IIT-BHU program pic.twitter.com/pIWomG2ToN

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 20, 2017

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Earlier this year, BHU was in the news after a number of students including women and two journalists were injured in a baton charge by the police in the campus wherein the students were protesting against an incident of eve teasing in the campus. The incident had sparked massive outrage, following which varsity’s Chief Proctor ON Singh resigned which led to the appointment Royana Singh as the first woman proctor at the university.