Protest Turns Legal: Six JNU Students, Including Nitish Kumar, Face FIR After Street March

Delhi Police registered a first information report (FIR) against six students from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), including Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Nitish Kumar, on October 20, 2025, after a confrontation during a protest march. The case, lodged at Vasant Kunj North police station under sections 221 (obstructing public servant), 121(2) (threatening public servant), and 132/3(5) (causing hurt to public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), stems from allegations that the students manhandled officers and disrupted traffic. This incident marks an escalation in ongoing tensions at JNU, where student activism has long intersected with administrative and political flashpoints, including recent disputes over hostel evictions amid economic pressures on PhD scholars.

The named accused include Nitish Kumar (26) from Bihar, vice president Manisha (28) from Haryana, general secretary Munteha Fatima (28) from Bihar, Manikant Patel (27) from Bihar, Briti Kar (27) from West Bengal, and Saurya Majumdar (28) from Mumbai. Approximately 80 students attempted to march from the JNU campus toward Nelson Mandela Marg en route to Vasant Kunj police station, breaching police barricades and reportedly using abusive language.

The demonstration aimed to protest the university administration's decision to impose an Rs 10,000 fine on several student leaders, including Kumar and All India Students' Association (AISA) member Ranvijay Singh, for earlier demonstrations against the eviction of PhD scholars from hostels. These evictions, justified by the administration as enforcement of residency norms, have sparked accusations of targeting progressive voices, echoing JNU's history of protests against fee hikes and infrastructure shortages since 2019.

The clash resulted in minor injuries to six police personnel, including two women officers, prompting swift legal action. Other participating students were briefly detained under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act for public nuisance and released to their professors following medical checks. The JNU proctorial office condemned Kumar's involvement as "serious", vowing disciplinary measures that could include suspension or expulsion, in line with the university's code of conduct.

This follows a pattern of friction at JNU, where student unions have mobilised against perceived authoritarian overreach, including the 2020 revocation of the JNUSU's registration—a move later challenged in court. Broader context reveals financial strains on public universities, with PhD stipends lagging behind inflation, fuelling demands for policy reforms.

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As the investigation unfolds, the episode underscores deepening divides between student activists and authorities in India's premier institutions. With the academic session underway, potential rustications could disrupt campus life, while supporters decry the fines and charges as stifling dissent. Delhi Police have urged restraint, but JNUSU leaders vow to continue their campaign legally, highlighting the eviction issue's implications for equitable access to higher education. For JNU, a bastion of left-leaning discourse, this confrontation may galvanise national solidarity movements, reminiscent of the 2016 fee protest that drew global attention. Resolution hinges on dialogue, yet the FIR signals a hardening stance, potentially setting precedents for handling student unrest across the country.

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