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Army officer held for beating JNU students

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 19. An Army officer was picked up by the police from the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here early this morning after he along with two others allegedly bashed up two students in one of the hostels.

It is alleged that the officer, Lieutenant Nikhil Kumar, and his friend Piyush -- both had graduated from JNU's School of Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies in 2000 -- were in an inebriated state as they bashed up two students, one whom fractured his arm. A third person, Chandan, an outsider to JNU, also assisted the two, said sources.

The brawl, which took place well after midnight in JNU's Narmada Hostel, was apparently a result of a petty fight that had taken place a day earlier.

On Thursday night, Piyush is said to have entered into a fight with one of hostel residents, Bimalendu Unniyal, over a game of carrom. The fight resulted in an exchange of abusive language until Piyush left the scene but not without threatening Unniyal of dire consequences, said JNU officials.

The next day he returned with Lt. Nikhil, who is posted with a mechanised infantry formation stationed at Hissar, and Chandan. The three entered the hostel in an inebriated state and challenged Unniyal.

In the brawl that ensued, Unniyal was badly injured and another student, Sanjit, who attempted to mediate, was also bashed up in the process.

While Unniyal's hand was fractured, Sanjit is said to have received injuries on his face and neck. A medico-legal case was made out and Lt. Nikhil, Piyush as well as Chandan were arrested and booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. They were later put in custody at Vasant Vihar police station.

Initial inquiries by University authorities have revealed that both Piyush and Lt. Nikhil were registered as guests of another hosteller, Sanjay. However, the latter has taken the plea that he was just playing a good host to two former JNU students.

It is understood that Lt. Nikhil was elected a student councillor during his days in JNU. Subsequently, he joined the Army and this brawl, sources said, had only brought back unpleasant memories of another incident involving Army officers on the campus a couple of years ago.

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