This archive report was first published on 6 January 2020.
On Sunday, January 5, 2020, a violent attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi left students shaken and sparked outrage across the country. The attack, which began in the evening, saw masked men storming the campus, breaking into dormitories and forcing students to barricade themselves in their rooms.
Government officials from across party lines denounced the attack, with India's foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, calling it 'completely against the tradition and culture of the university.' He wrote on Twitter, 'Condemn the violence unequivocally.'
University administrators initially called on students to remain calm, stating that the police had been asked to restore order against 'masked miscreants.' However, some students alleged that the authorities stood by as the mob rampaged on campus, with videos posted on social media showing members of the mob walking with iron rods and people being beaten as the police watched.
By midnight, hundreds of activists from far-right Hindu groups had gathered on the streets, threatening journalists and vandalizing vehicles. As students fled through the university's gates, some reported being told by police officers to chant 'Hail Mother India.'
Former student Ananya Pandey, 24, who was visiting friends on campus when the attack occurred, said, 'The police were acting like accomplices.'
Deputy Police Commissioner Devender Arya denied accusations that the police were passively or actively abetting the attacks, and promised legal action against the attackers. He stated, 'The university continues to be peaceful. As far as we are concerned, the university area is absolutely under control.'
