On December 29, a group of advocates met with the Commissioner of Police in Varanasi to demand the withdrawal of fabricated charges filed against students arrested from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). The advocates urged the removal of serious and non-bailable sections falsely imposed on the students. They also called for an investigation into the matter by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)-level officer and strict action against those responsible for filing the false charges. It is essential to note that at the time of the publishing of the story, the arrested students remained in jail.
The arrests stem from an incident on December 26, 2024, when 13 individuals, including three women, associated with the Bhagat Singh Students Morcha (BSM), a Marxist student organisation at BHU, were taken into custody by the Lanka Police Station in Varanasi. They were subsequently sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Varanasi District Court. The arrests followed a discussion held on December 25 to mark Manusmriti Dahan Divas, commemorating Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s historic burning of the Manusmriti in 1927. The discussion, held at the university’s Arts Faculty, was disrupted by university officials and security staff, leading to a scuffle between the students and security guards. Among those detained are nine students and four alumni, currently held in District Jail, Chaukaghat. As they were transferred to jail, the students raised slogans such as “Manusmriti Murdabad, Inquilab Zindabad, Jai Bhim,” and “Stop violence against students,” highlighting their resistance to state repression. The jailed students were also interrogated by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).
The delegation also met with the Superintendent of the District Jail in Varanasi to address the mistreatment of the detained students. They submitted a memorandum outlining 10 key demands, including:
- Immediate disciplinary action against police personnel who demanded a bribe of ₹200 per person to allow visitors to meet the students, along with threats of physical harm if the bribe was not paid.
- Provision of facilities to the students in accordance with the jail manual.
- Ensuring a conducive environment for study by accommodating the students in separate barracks.
- Medical treatment for injured or unwell students, including proper examinations.
- Avoiding the treatment of students as hardened criminals.
The delegation included Advocate Premprakash Singh Yadav, Advocate Ramdular Prajapati, Advocate Rajesh Kumar Yadav, Advocate Sushil Kumar, Advocate Kamlesh Yadav, Advocate Satyaprakash, Advocate Veerbali Singh Yadav, Advocate Awadhesh, Advocate Ajit Singh Yadav, Advocate Shridutt, and Advocate Rakesh.
Background of the incident
On December 25, 2024, the Bhagat Singh Students Morcha (BSM) organised a discussion at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to observe Manusmriti Dahan Divas, commemorating the historic day in 1927 when Dr. B.R. Ambedkar burned the Manusmriti as a protest against caste discrimination. The event, held at the university’s Arts Faculty, was disrupted by BHU’s Proctorial Board guards, who allegedly misbehaved with the participants, forcibly dragging them to the Proctorial Board office, where they were locked up around 7:30 PM.
The following day, December 26, an FIR was filed against 13 members of the BSM, accusing them of serious offences. These individuals, including three women, were subsequently arrested by the Lanka Police Station and sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Varanasi District Court. Reports indicate that during the disruption, the students were physically assaulted, their clothes torn, and their glasses broken. Students who attempted to intervene were also pushed, beaten, and detained. It is further alleged that the Proctorial Board and the police issued threats to the students, warning of retaliation and harm to their future prospects.
The arrested students were held overnight at the Lanka Police Station without access to legal counsel. Allegedly, they were beaten and sustained injuries while in custody. These students are now detained in District Jail, Chaukaghat.
An FIR (No. 523/2024) was filed against the students under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. These include:
- Section 132: Assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty.
- Section 121(2): Causing grievous hurt to a public servant.
- Section 196(1): Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, or language.
- Section 299: Outraging religious feelings through deliberate and malicious acts.
- Section 190: Unlawful assembly for an offence committed by the group.
- Section 191(2): Rioting.
- Section 115(2): Voluntarily causing hurt.
- Section 110: Attempt to commit culpable homicide.
The FIR, filed on the complaint of BHU Security Officer Omprakash Tiwari and Assistant Security Officer Hasan Abbas Zaidi, states that on December 25 at 5:30 PM, a group of 20–25 BSM members gathered near the Arts Faculty Square, allegedly planning to burn copies of the Manusmriti as part of the Manusmriti Dahan Divas observance. The complainants, accompanied by Proctorial Board members and security personnel, approached the group to pacify them. However, the students allegedly misbehaved, pushed, and assaulted the security team.
The FIR claims that two women security personnel, Shipra Mishra and Shikha Mishra, sustained serious injuries and fainted during the altercation, requiring treatment at BHU Trauma Centre. The report also alleges that the actions of the students disrupted public harmony.
The 13 individuals identified in the FIR include Mukesh Kumar, Sandeep Jaiswal, Amar Sharma, Arvind Pal, Anupam Kumar, Lakshman Kumar, Avinash, Arvind, Shubham Kumar, Adarsh, Ipsita Agarwal, Siddhi Tiwari, and Katyayani B. Reddy. The charges against them carry a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.
A detailed report may be read here.
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