JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) once again is a matter of discussion in media across the country. This time it is not because of shouting anti-national slogans and holding an event on Afzal Guru. It is because of a biotechnology student Najeeb Ahmed missing from the campus. He went on missing after an alleged spat with RSS-backed-student organisation ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad) activists.
About the alleged fight, it is said that Najeeb slapped ABVP activist Vikrant Kumar when the latter went to his room to campaign for hostel polls. Even if we believe it, it is not clear what actually the reason for the slapping was. No one slaps anyone out of nothing. It is Najeeb himself who can tell the reason. Later, the matter reached the hostel warden and Najeeb was taken to the warden. The warden told Najeeb to shift to another hostel. The eyewitnesses who were present there claimed that Najeeb was beaten up by the crowd of around 30 people mix of ABVP activists and others while he was being taken to the warden. He was bleeding from the nose and mouth. But ABVP claimed that he was not beaten up by anyone. The question is if Najeeb was not beaten up by anyone, as AVBP claimed, then why he was bleeding?
The matter took an ugly turn when Najeeb went on missing since 15 October, the next day of the spat. JNU students gheraoed the university administration and Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar over disappearance of Najeeb from the campus. They also blocked the VC and administrators, demanding action against whoever beat Najeeb up. After protest and rally organised by students inside the campus, the issue reached the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Delhi Police. Singh formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for tracing Najeeb.
JNU students took this fight to the street and they planned to hold protest before the Home Ministry but they were not allowed. They held a press conference at the Press Club and also organised a protest march at Delhi Police Headquarters, mounting pressure on the police to bring Najeeb back. It has been a couple of weeks since Najeeb went missing but Najeeb’s whereabouts are still unknown. Najeeb’s family, Mother Fatima and Sister Sadaf who arrived JNU instantly after getting the news of his disappearance, accused the police and the JNU administration of being insensitive over searching Najeeb.
They also alleged the administration and police of shielding the students who had beaten Najeeb and who had been behind the Najeeb’s disappearance. His mourning mother pledged to give her Najeeb back; she would take him out of JNU campus and city. Delhi Police announced a reward of Rs. one lakh to anyone who would provide any inputs or clues about his whereabouts. But it is still a mystery as to where Najeeb is. What happened to him? How he went missing? Is he alive or killed? Who is behind his missing? Is he himself hidden anywhere or he was abducted by someone? An eyewitness, claimed reports, said that he was threatened to be killed by ABVP activists.
A student of JNU Saadath Husain, who is doing Mphil at the university, said that it is a matter of investigation as to where Najeeb is. “He was beaten frequently by a group before the warden and security guard after the spat. He was also threatened to be sent to 70 virgins (70 huroun ke paas bhejne ki dhamki). After listening to this threat, whether he is hidden anywhere or he was abducted by anyone is a mystery. It is a matter of investigation,” he said.
In this whole episode, the role of JNU administration is a matter of worry and suspicion. When a student disappeared from the university, it was the duty of the administration to make efforts to find him. It must ask the police about the disappearance. But the administration and VC did not take any action until the students protested and blocked them. The administration must clarify why it did not take a suo motu action over Najeeb’s missing. Initially, the administration did not register even missing complaint with the police, forget about filing an FIR.
This insensitive approach of the administration is really a matter of grave concern. On the other hand, the role of police is too suspicious and questionable. Najeeb’s family alleged that the police did not interrogate even those who had beaten Najeeb up brutally and threatened him. Such a biased and prejudiced approach of the administration and police made the matter worse. It inflamed the anger of the students who are continuously blaming them for taking side of ABVP.
In the earlier controversy stirred over shouting anti-national slogans also, the administration was accused of taking side of ABVP. It is a dangerous sign for a campus and even future of the students. It may even destroy the career of the students. The administration must make efforts to bring Najeeb back in an unbiased manner. The sensitive, sensible and sympathising approach can only help and result in finding the missing Najeeb.