ABVP flags ‘stampede-like’ situation at DU’s Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College fest, alleges police lathi charge

New Delhi: The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad on Friday criticised the arrangements at the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College's annual festival, citing a "stampede-like" situation and subsequent police action that allegedly left several students injured. In a statement, the student body urged authorities to tighten safety measures ahead of upcoming university events and said the incident at the University of Delhi college was "highly unfortunate".

It called on both the university administration and the Delhi Police to ensure that no student is harmed during festivals scheduled in the coming days. According to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the situation unfolded on the second day of the college's annual festival when students from multiple Delhi University colleges gathered in large numbers.

It alleged that crowd control arrangements at the entry gate were inadequate, and that a lathi charge by police personnel led to several students sustaining serious injuries. The organisation demanded that the police take cognisance of the incident and initiate action against personnel involved in the alleged use of force.

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The students' body urged the university administration to put in place comprehensive crowd management plans for upcoming festivals, including adequate security deployment, well-organised entry and exit systems, and a fully functional emergency response mechanism.

"If the arrangements had been strengthened in advance, such a situation would not have arisen. The use of force against students can never be a solution to administrative shortcomings," the statement said. The Delhi Police refused to comment on the issue. ABVP Delhi state secretary Sarthak Sharma said the use of a lathi charge against students during a cultural and academic celebration was condemnable.

He added that with large participation expected at university events, authorities should increase the number of entry and exit gates, allow entry only with valid identity cards, and ensure the availability of ambulances and fire department vehicles to prevent casualties.