JNUSU chief Kanhaiya slapped inside campus by non-student who 'wanted to teach him a lesson'

Students of JNU condemned the attack on Kanhaiya, saying it did not "represent people's sentiments".

JNU Students' Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was allegedly attacked inside the campus while he was attending a lecture on nationalism at the administration block on Thursday. 

According to police, the attacker was not from the university but came from outside. He has been identified as Vikas Chaudhary and hails from Ghaziabad. 

Students and teachers present at the time of the incident said that Kanhaiya was attending the lecture on nationalism at the administration block when he was called by the attacker for some interaction.

Kanhaiya was asked for a dialogue, and when he went to talk to him, the man started abusing him and later hit and slapped him. Students present at the spot rushed to his rescue. 

The accused was held by security guards, an eyewitness said. He was taken to Vasant Vihar police station, where he was questioned.

Chaudhary told the cops that he wanted to “teach him a lesson” for his comments made about the Indian Army. 

Students of JNU condemned the attack on Kanhaiya and blamed right-wing individuals for the incident, saying these attacks create an atmosphere of hostility inside the campus.

“Such attacks do not represent people’s sentiments. The people of India stand with JNU. Attacks like these are the handiwork of RSS and its affiliated outfits. These do not represent the general mood of the people. The people have seen through BJP’s attempts to undermine democracy and dissent,” Rama Naga, General Secretary, JNUSU said. 

This is the third alleged attack on Kanhaiya, who waded into controversy after he was arrested by the Delhi Police for his alleged involvement in a February 9 event at the university campus that commemorated parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s hanging. The event saw some anti-national slogans being raised. 

Kanhaiya was attacked earlier by lawyers outside the Patiala House court complex while the police were escorting him inside the court premises. 

The same set of lawyers attacked him again at the same venue, a day later. 

The students and teachers of the varsity had expressed apprehension about Kanhaiya’s security after he was attacked by the group of lawyers in Patiala Court premises on February 17. 

Delhi Police had asked the university and Kanhaiya to intimate Vasant Vihar police station about Kanhaiya’s movements outside the campus as they fear attacks on him.