Uttar Pradesh: Clash Breaks Out Between Police & Students At Barabanki University Over Law Course Dispute; Video

Barabanki (UP): A clash took place between the police and students at a private university after a protest over an unapproved law course, an officer said Tuesday.

Footage online showed baton-wielding officers on Monday confronting demonstrators, who accused the Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University of jeopardising their future by enrolling them in a programme without recognition from the Bar Council of India.

Several students were injured in the confrontation and a glass of Gadia police outpost was broken. Security forces deployed on campus after the incident.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS, joined the demonstrations, accusing the university of collecting illegal fees and demanding action against administrators.

While videos showed men in uniform thrashing some young men with batons, police denied using "excessive" force.

"Some people from the university and students clashed, which worsened the situation. Injured persons are undergoing treatment. No written complaint has been received so far. Video footage is being examined," Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya told PTI.

Additional SP (North) Vikas Chandra Tripathi said police had only separated warring groups and denied using batons. "The situation is now peaceful," he added.

The university rejected the allegations, insisting its law programme is fully recognised.

Registrar Prof Neerja Jindal said the administration had "no role in the clash" and accused some people of spreading misinformation about the BCI's recognition of the law course.

"The Bar Council of India has uploaded approval documents for 2022-23 on its website. The university has also paid affiliation fees till 2027," she said, adding that a sworn affidavit was issued to assure students about the validity of their degrees.

ABVP functionary Akash Shukla alleged that "students were brutally beaten, an attempt to suppress voices raised for their rights." The organisation demanded a fair probe and action against those responsible.

Six injured students were admitted to Mayo Hospital and two to the district hospital, the ABVP claimed.

On Monday night, agitated activists demonstrated outside District Magistrate Shashank Tripathi's residence, burnt his effigy, and later marched to the SP's office, raising slogans against the administration and vowing to continue protests until action was taken.

ABVP's Awadh state secretary, Pushpendra Bajpai, said the protest will continue "until the Vice-Chancellor himself comes forward to speak with the students, the expelled students are reinstated with dignity, and the situation regarding the law degree's recognition is clarified." "We will not tolerate any injustice against student interests," Bajpai added.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)