JNU missing student case: Police stop protest march by kin and students to Parliament

New Delhi: JNU students and family members of missing student Najeeb Ahmed on Wednesday tried to march to Parliament from Mandi House demanding justice but were stopped mid-way by the police. [caption id=“attachment_3095278” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. News18[/caption] Najeeb, 27, a student of School of Biotechnology and a native of Badaun, went missing on 15 October following an on-campus scuffle allegedly with the members of ABVP, the night before. Alleging that her son has been held captive, Najeeb’s mother Fatima Nafees said she has been “assured” of support by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in finding her son. “Akhilesh ji has assured me of all help. He said the force (UP Police) would be sent to look for my son. He said Najeeb is child of his state. Shame on Delhi Police that police from UP is coming to find my son,” she said at the protest march. JNU students union president Mohit Pandey said, “you (police) have seen him in Aligarh and Dharbhanga but you are still unable to find him. It has been thirty-eight days since he is missing and yet he is untraceable”. Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar also joined students in the protest rally. Kumar raised slogans demanding justice for Ahmad, however, he did not address students. Umar Khalid, who was charged with sedition along with Kanhaiya earlier this year, questioned claims by police of Ahmad being spotted in some cities. He alleged police was trying to build a narrative around Ahmad. “For last 10-15 days police is giving statements in media. Police never makes anything public till investigation is final because that may hamper investigation. “Why Darbhaga and why AMU? It is a pattern which they are following. Because it fits the narrative. If you look at trolls they keep saying Najeeb has joined terrorists,” he said. JNU students and teachers have been agitating against the university administration and Delhi Police for their failure to locate the missing student. The protesting students had even confined the Vice Chancellor and other senior officials in the administrative building for over 20 hours. Last month, an SIT was formed to trace the missing student on the directive of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma. The SIT failed to get any actionable clues in the matter. The case was later transferred to Delhi Police’s Crime Branch.