EFLU Students Clash Over Hostel Row

A dispute over alleged sexist remarks by a hostel warden at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) escalated into clashes between ABVP and NSUI students in the early hours of Friday. According to ABVP’s EFLU unit, the dispute began on August 13 after a warden of the Mahalaqa Bai Chanda Women’s Hostel allegedly spoke rudely to two female students who had requested to stay together as roommates. The students allegedly were told to either stay in their allotted room or leave the hostel, and the warden also allegedly questioned their character and threatened to call their parents.

ABVP students staged a protest over the incident and other hostel concerns, including alleged lack of water and clean washrooms. ABVP alleged that NSUI members tried to disrupt the protest, leading to verbal arguments and minor physical altercations.

ABVP leader Antariksh alleged that around 3 am on August 14, a group of about 20 NSUI members entered the room of a second-year BA student associated with ABVP and assaulted him. It also alleged that another student was gagged and other ABVP members were attacked.

NSUI accused ABVP members of attacking its student leaders with sticks and glass bottles during the clashes. It alleged that several students were injured, including NSUI EFLU general secretary Sohil Yadav, joint secretary Prashant Singh, Harsh Tamrakar, president Ashish Kumar Yadav and EFLU Students’ Union vice-president Sonu Raj. NSUI also alleged that casteist abuse was directed at students belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.

ABVP denied initiating the violence and said its members came out in “total self-defence”. It alleged that police were harassing ABVP students while treating those from NSUI as victims. Three NSUI leaders from EFLU have been administered first-aid at CC Shroff Memorial Hospital and were visited by Congress leader Vamshi Chand Reddy.

Police are said to have arrived at the campus during the night. ABVP said eight of its students were detained in the morning and were still at the police station around 8 am. Both groups have demanded a fair investigation and action against those responsible.