Najeeb kin: Have no faith in JNU, police

Sadaf Musharraf, sister of missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, speaks at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: Asian Age)

Family of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, who has been missing from the campus for 13 days, claimed on Thursday that they have no faith in the university administration and investigation by the police.

“We have no faith in the university administration and the police investigation so far as the varsity officials are spreading ‘misinformation’ and shielding the ‘culprits’. Those who have been named as assaulters are roaming freely. They have not even been questioned,” said Najeeb’s mother Fatima Nafees at a press conference.

As she broke down, she even claimed that his son is not a person who would leave the campus on his own. “Najeeb has been targeted as he was new and didn’t have many friends in the university,” Ms Nafees added.

Even JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) demanded that police should first rule out his presence in the JNU campus by searching the jungles and also demanded that those accused of assaulting Ahmed should be questioned and arrested immediately.

While claiming that JNU administration is resorting to misinformation, Shahid, a resident of Mahi-Mandvi said that he was a witness and also got beaten during the violence along with Mohit Kumar Pandey, JNUSU president.

“I was on the second floor campaigning for hostel committee elections. After hearing the commotion I ran down. Vikrant (ABVP) said Najeeb assaulted him. I went up to Najeeb who was bleeding from his head. I asked him but he wasn’t able to speak. He went to the washroom,” Shahid alleged.

“Another student Ankit said he wanted to use the washroom. I stopped him fearing he will again beat Najeeb. Ankit said he won’t and once inside started assaulting him. After we got him (Najeeb) out and were taking him to the warden’s office downstairs a group of 15-20 students literally lynched him,” Shahid added.

However, Shahid claimed that the proctor is making statements based on what Vikrant is saying and is refusing to state the depositions of the 20-odd neutral students.

“Fifteen of us deposed before the police as well. But the police is yet to act against the assaulters,” Shahid said.

Alleging bias, Najeeb’s sister Sadaf said, “No written explanation was taken from the assaulters that day that beat up Najeeb in front of everyone including the warden. But they took it in writing from Najeeb.”

JNU administration had issued a 25-point bulletin on Wednesday in connection with the case even as the varsity’s teachers association fumed over the authorities “selectively omitting” the fact that he was attacked during a brawl a night before.

JNUSU has been agitating alleging inaction on the administration’s part. The students had even confined the VC and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours last week. Following directives from the home ministry, the Delhi police had formed a special investigative team to trace the missing student.