A protest by engineering students at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) in Lucknow, demanding postponement of semester exams by a month, turned violent on Friday night after the director of University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET), Kaman Singh, allegedly assaulted the protesting students in an “inebriated state”.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral, purportedly shows Singh abusing students and beating up one of them using the cane of a security guard. Though Singh denied he was drunk, he claimed he had to take the step as some students were hurling abuses at him at the protest site.
While Singh has submitted a written complaint to the university proctor demanding an FIR against the students involved, the protesters have also lodged a complaint with the police.
“A case (non-cognizable offence) was registered against Singh for voluntarily causing hurt and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace,” SHO of Ashiyana police station Vijendra Kumar Singh said.
On Friday, some UIET students had gone to the director’s office with a demand to postpone the semester exams as the course was yet to be completed. One student was allegedly slapped by Singh, following which the students sat on protest.
Singh denied slapping anyone, but accepted that he had to take the cane in hand as the students were abusing him. He alleged that students wanted him to leave as he was working against the use of unfair means in exams.
University’s acting V-C N M P Verma supported Singh’s claim and said that while exams would start December 7 as per university calender, faculties will be given time to complete the syllabus.
