Violence, arson at Allahabad University campus after split verdict in students’ union elections

Violence rocked the Allahabad University campus soon after results of the students’ union elections were declared around Friday midnight.

The split verdict —Samajwadi Chatra Sabha and National Students Union of India (NSUI) bagging two posts each and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) managing just one out of five crucial posts — triggered a bout of violence in which an inspector was injured.

Reports said crude bombs were hurled by supporters of losing candidates.

While Uday Prakash Yadav of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha was elected president and Akhilesh Yadav of NSUI vice president, the post of general secretary went to Shivam Singh of ABVP.

Satyam Singh Saini of Samajwadi Chatra Sabha was elected joint secretary while Aditya Singh of NSUI won the post of cultural secretary. Soon after the results were announced, unidentified persons torched a few rooms belonging to the outgoing president of Samajwadi Chatra Sabha Avanish Yadav and newly-elected president Uday Prakash Yadav in the Holland Hall. While around eight rooms were torched, it was unclear as to who was behind it.The outgoing and newly-elected presidents blamed supporters of the losing candidates for the incident.

Some unidentified persons also exploded crude bombs at KPUC Hostel gate in which inspector Daraganj Vineet Singh was injured. He was sent to a nearby hospital where his condition is stated to be stable.

Fire tenders and senior district officials, including the senior superintendent of police (SSP), rushed in with reinforcements to calm the unruly mob.

An FIR named 20 students, including student leader Atendra Singh, on the complaint of newly-elected Allahabad University students’ union president Uday Prakash Yadav.Police sources said at least four persons have been detained in connection with the arson at Holland Hall Hostel.

SP City Brajesh Kumar Srivastava said raids are being carried out to arrest those involved in arson.“The situation on the campus is under control,” he added.

Minor clashes erupted again at Holland Hall Hostel after some supporters of student leader Atendra Singh, who was a contender for president’s post, reached the hostel on late Saturday evening.

First Published: Oct 07, 2018 12:14 IST