Nagpur: A day after Nagpur University's Jamnalal Bajaj Administrative Building was vandalised by BJYM activists during a protest over alleged summer examination blunders, vice-chancellor Manali Kshirsagar remained firm on initiating criminal proceedings. "Vandalism and violent behaviour on campus will not be tolerated. It's a question of law and order. Public property has been damaged," she told TOI. However, despite her tough stand, no formal FIR was registered, even 24 hours after the incident.
The vice-chancellor, whose nameplate was also damaged during Tuesday's protest, reiterated that those involved were "not students but politically motivated activists with an agenda." Students in the mob were quick to understand, but activists refused to listen, she said.
According to Ambazari police, NU registrar Raju Hiwase submitted a formal complaint the same day, but technical issues in the application required corrections and additional supporting documents. Police said Hiwase did not turn up on Wednesday to record his statement or submit documents sought by investigators, delaying registration of the FIR. Kshirsagar, however, maintained the FIR process was underway. "A formal complaint was immediately submitted, and the process takes time before an FIR is registered. Police require additional documents, and therefore, the FIR could not be lodged. The registrar shall visit the police station and record a statement in a day or so," she explained.
Police said the investigation would move forward only after the registrar records his statement and submits required documents. Hiwase didn't answer TOI's calls. The BJYM activists detained after the vandalism were later released, allegedly under political pressure.
This was not the first time NU came under fierce attack from student unions. The university has repeatedly faced aggressive protests by students and political outfits in the last decade. Organisations including ABVP, BJYM, and NSUI have stormed the campus over examination delays, admission disputes, and policy decisions. This led to damage of public property, attacks on security personnel, vandalism of doors and window panes, and disruption of statutory meetings.
However, despite extensive damage in many cases, the NU administration often refrained from pursuing FIRs. Former vice-chancellors and registrars had faced allegations from officials and security personnel of buckling under political pressure. In multiple incidents between 2013 and 2019, protesters allegedly vandalised the convocation hall, registrar's office, and administrative buildings, while police named activists in FIRs under softer sections or released them shortly after detention, fuelling allegations of political interference.
Instant Action Against NSUI
Recently, the university lodged an FIR against NSUI activists over "objectionable" remarks against the VC during a protest against delayed winter examinations and the appointment of a private exam agency. The university also pushed for the activists' arrest even though the protest involved only sloganeering and no damage to university property.
NU's Soft Approach in 2019
One of the major flashpoints occurred in February 2019, when ABVP activists allegedly damaged doors at the administrative block and assaulted women security guards while demanding the resolution of delayed examination results. Then vice-chancellor SP Kane later said he had directed the Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC) to file an FIR, though the complaint referred only to members of an "unknown organisation" and did not name ABVP directly. In 2014 too, BJYM activists allegedly ransacked the convocation hall and damaged university property, but the administration delayed filing police complaints.
Timeline of Major Vandalism Incidents at NU
- July 19, 2013: ABVP and other student outfits vandalised university property during protests over lifting ban on 250 colleges allegedly lacking infrastructure and teachers.
- Jan 19, 2014: Students from banned colleges stormed the convocation hall during Academic Council meeting, broke glass doors and disrupted proceedings.
- Feb 14, 2014: BJYM activists allegedly barged into the convocation hall, threw furniture, damaged plants and misbehaved with security personnel and police.
- Feb 17 and 20, 2014: Reports emerged that Nagpur University failed to lodge FIRs against BJYM activists despite damage to public property, allegedly due to political pressure.
- Feb 8, 2019: ABVP activists allegedly attacked the administrative block, damaged doors and assaulted women MSSC guards during protest over delayed results.
- Feb 11, 2019: Then VC SP Kane said MSSC filed complaint on his directions but referred to the attackers as members of an "unknown organisation" instead of naming ABVP.
- May 2026: BJYM activists and students allegedly vandalised the Jamnalal Bajaj administrative building during protests over examination mismanagement and result errors.
