DU professor Saibaba's visit to college triggers altercation among students

Two groups of students for and against reinstatement of DU professor G N Saibaba, who is out on bail in a case of alleged links with Maoists, on Monday entered into an altercation when he went to Ram Lal Anand College in New Delhi to submit some documents.

A police team deployed at the college reported the matter to the PCR team patrolling Delhi University's (DU) South Campus area and soon officials from South Campus police station visited the spot, a senior official said.

An English professor at Ram Lal Anand College, Saibaba was suspended from DU following his arrest. He has requested for reinstatement, a move that resulted in a divide between a section of students and university teachers.

Police and college authorities then convinced the groups -- one protesting against the request for reinstatement by Saibaba and the other supporting him -- to maintain law and order in the institute. Saibaba came to the college to submit some documents. He even went to the staff room and later left safe, the official said.

"The crowd dispersed after the confrontation which did not last long and no student was detained," the senior official added.

While the Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) is supporting the 90 per cent disabled professor on the issue of reinstatement, a group of students led by members of ABVP is opposing it. The Supreme Court had earlier this month granted him bail, saying Maharashtra government has been "extremely unfair" to him.