Hours after PM Modi visit, violence grips BHU

Lucknow: Violence erupted on the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) campus late on Saturday night, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit was over, when students protesting against an eve-teasing incident clashed with the security personnel. 

Over a dozen students and some mediapersons have been injured in the violence. UP chief minister Yogi Aditynath has ordered a probe into the attacks on the media and on students to be conducted by the commissioner of Varanasi division.

The BHU and all undergraduate colleges have been closed till October 2 in view of the prevailing tension on campus. Hostellers have been asked to vacate the hostels by late Sunday night. BHU vice-chancellor Girish Chandra Tripathi justified the police action by saying he had information that some “outsiders” were trying to create trouble on the campus. He said he would upgrade the security for girl students. UP Congress chief Raj Babbar, who reached Varanasi on Sunday  to meet the protesting students, was detained and prevented from  going to the trouble-hit campus. The Samajwadi Party is also sending an eight-member team to Varanasi to find out the truth  about the situation.

The students had been protesting for the past two days and had  wanted to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s two-day visit to Varanasi but were not allowed to move out of the campus.