JNU: VC, other officials allowed to go; HM asks police to set up special team to trace missing student

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar and other officials who were confined on the campus premises by a section of students, who were protesting over a missing hostel inmate, were allowed to go after being held for 22 hours.

The students, who are agitating over alleged inaction by the university in the case of missing student Najeeb Ahmed, have temporarily called off their gherao and allowed the VC and some other officials to come out of the building where there were held since Wednesday afternoon. They were allowed to leave to attend an important academic council.

Rejecting allegations of inaction, Kumar said that they had written to the police about the missing student and that an inquiry by the university would be expedited with the "guilty" punished.

Coming down heavily on the protesting students, the VC said that several rounds of talks were held with them to convince them regarding the sincerity of the university to locate Najeeb but they had continued their "illegal" activity of holding the authorities hostage.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed the Delhi Police to set up a special team to trace the missing student. Najeeb Ahmed went missing on Saturday, following a brawl on the campus the night before.

(With agency inputs)