New Delhi: Twelve Banaras Hindu University students, including a female student, allegedly abused and injured varsity chief proctor Royana Singh after she asked them to wait outside her office. However, the students denied allegations, saying the injury was an “accident”.
According to Singh, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening when scores of students barged into her office with black flags and were sloganeering. Later, they resorted to verbal abuse, vandalism and tried to strangulate her.
“I was in my office in a meeting along with my colleagues when 20-25 students barged into the office. They abused me and shot a video on their mobile phones. I told them that I will meet after five minutes, but, a female student set a timer on her watch. After five minutes, they began banging my cabin door and a piece of glass fell on me while I was working on my computer,” the proctor told CNN-News18.
Singh further said that she was forced to call the police when she got injured on her left forearm. After station officer Sanjeev Mishra arrived at the spot to pacify the students, she filed an FIR.
“The female student tried to strangulate me, while others vandalised my office. They tore official documents and even stole some,” she alleged.
When asked why the students had gathered at her office, Singh said that the issue dates back to September 21 last year when students were lathicharged inside the university premises during a protest against the rising eve-teasing incidents on the campus.
“The students wanted me to apologise for speaking to a news TV channel regarding the September 21 incident,” she said.
"I had spoken to a certain media house regarding the incident and told them that a big car carrying pizza and cold drink had entered the campus to sponsor the protest against the administration. I had also, said that the pizza were being served to outsiders who had infiltrated the protest. Our BHU students usually remain hungry for hours when they protest,” Singh said, while recalling the infamous BHU molestation case.
She further said, “This is also mentioned in the Justice Dikshit report and we have also seen the footage of the same. However, the students refused to listen to me and threw a paper weight at me. I have received internal and external injuries.”
The proctor said that she will also report the matter to the inquiry committee and continue to fight the case. However, she will not stop the students from writing their exams or attending classes.
Meanwhile, the students named in the FIR have denied any physical assault against Singh.
A girl student, who is named in the FIR, told CNN News18, “We had gone to meet Royana Singh in her office regarding her statement to a TV channel, but, we were not allowed inside her cabin. She was in a meeting with some people. The guards told us to wait in the gallery outside her cabin. We were told that she will meet us in five minutes, after which she denied the meeting.”
Explaining that any harm to her office was accidental, she said, “When one of us tried to knock on her door, a small piece of glass broke and fell. The guards didn't allow us to meet her and we left. The following morning we learnt about the FIR.”
Denying all allegations of inflicting harm to Singh, she said, "We haven't caused any harm to her. The CCTV footage of her office can be referred as proof.”
Taking on Singh’s allegations of a sponsored protest, the student said, “She (Royana Singh) must make the video public to substantiate her claims that outsiders were involved and the protest was sponsored.”
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