Protesting JNU Students Marching to Rashtrapati Bhavan Lathi-charged; Heavy Traffic Jams Witnessed

New Delhi: JNU students were on Monday stopped by police and baton-charged near the Bhikaji Cama Place metro station during their march towards the Rashtrapati Bhawan as they sought an appointment with the president over the hostel fee hike issue.

Heavy deployment of police was in place ahead of the march from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Roads leading to the campus were shut for traffic and appeals made to students to protest peacefully, a police official said.

South Delhi witnessed massive traffic snarls as the students occupied a part of Ring Road near Bhikaji Cama Place after Delhi police lathi-charged them. Several ambulances were struck in the long queue of vehicles which tried to pass through the narrow strip of the road leading towards Dhaula Kuan.

The students circulated photos, claiming police have closed all gates of the university before beginning the march. As they began, they shouted slogans like "Delhi Police go back" and "Education must be free for all".

When the students reached a cordoned area near the Bhikaji Cama Place metro station, they tried to jump the barricades and were lathicharged by the police. They had planned to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan from the campus seeking an appointment with the president, the visitor of the varsity to urge him to intervene and ensure that the hike in hostel fee is rolled back.

Entry and exit points at Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg and Central Secretariat metro stations were closed by authorities fearing protests there. "As advised by Delhi Police, entry & exit at Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg and Central Secretariat have been closed. Trains are not halting at Udyog Bhawan and Lok Kalyan Marg," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation said on Twitter.

The Delhi Traffic Police said Baba Gangnath Marg has also been closed for vehicular traffic.

The students have been protesting for over a month inside the campus against the hostel fee hike and have also called for boycott of the upcoming semester exams, despite repeated appeals by the administration asking them to return to classes.

The HRD Ministry had set up a three-member committee to look into ways to restore normal functioning in the JNU and mediate between the agitating students and the administration. The panel submitted its report to the ministry but no call has been taken yet.