Tension Grips JNU After Midnight Clash Between Rival Student Groups

New Delhi | 23 Feb 2026 Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University witnessed tense scenes early Monday morning after student groups linked to the Left and the Right accused each other of violence during a late-night protest march. According to students present on campus, the incident took place around 1.30 am, when a scuffle allegedly escalated into stone pelting, leaving several students injured. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union had organised a “Samta Juloos” or Equality March towards the East Gate, demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and the withdrawal of a rustication order. According to the union, the protest was linked to alleged “derogatory remarks on Dalits and about UGC Equity regulations.” JNUSU claimed the university administration did not engage with the protesters and instead allowed members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to confront them. Left-backed student groups, including the All India Students' Association, alleged that ABVP activists attacked “unarmed students” and pelted stones at the JNUSU encampment, causing injuries. ABVP, however, denied these allegations and accused Left-aligned organisations of provoking clashes and spreading false information. The group described the incident as “brutal”, claiming that students were attacked while “studying peacefully in the library.” Responding to the allegations, JNUSU joint secretary and ABVP leader Vaibhav Meena said, “The left wing's strike has been going on here for the last 7-8 days... The kind of terror they have spread throughout the night, they went to the schools and chased away the students from the study rooms by a mob of 300-400 masked men.... Vijay has been mob lynched by a mob of 100-150 people... Delhi Police did nothing... We condemn this...” Videos shared by students showed confusion and fear on campus as rival groups clashed near the protest site. University authorities did not immediately respond to queries on the incident. Tension Grips JNU After Midnight Clash Between Rival Student Groups Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University witnessed tense scenes early Monday morning after student groups linked to the Left and the Right accused each other of violence during a late-night protest march. According to students present on campus, the incident took place around 1.30 am, when a scuffle allegedly escalated into stone pelting, leaving several students injured. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union had organised a “Samta Juloos” or Equality March towards the East Gate, demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit and the withdrawal of a rustication order. According to the union, the protest was linked to alleged “derogatory remarks on Dalits and about UGC Equity regulations.” JNUSU claimed the university administration did not engage with the protesters and instead allowed members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad to confront them. Left-backed student groups, including the All India Students' Association, alleged that ABVP activists attacked “unarmed students” and pelted stones at the JNUSU encampment, causing injuries. ABVP, however, denied these allegations and accused Left-aligned organisations of provoking clashes and spreading false information. The group described the incident as “brutal”, claiming that students were attacked while “studying peacefully in the library.” Responding to the allegations, JNUSU joint secretary and ABVP leader Vaibhav Meena said, “The left wing's strike has been going on here for the last 7-8 days... The kind of terror they have spread throughout the night, they went to the schools and chased away the students from the study rooms by a mob of 300-400 masked men.... Vijay has been mob lynched by a mob of 100-150 people... Delhi Police did nothing... We condemn this...” Videos shared by students showed confusion and fear on campus as rival groups clashed near the protest site. University authorities did not immediately respond to queries on the incident.