Police have registered a case against JJP leader Digvijay Singh Chautala and several leaders of the party’s student wing INSO on charges including harm to public property during an event held at Kurukshetra University, officials said on Monday.
The FIR relates to a programme organised at the university on April 7. It invokes Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint alleges that chairs and other public property were damaged during the event.
Chautala is among 11 individuals named in the FIR. Others include Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) leader Jaswinder Khaira and a university assistant professor. Some unidentified persons have also been booked in the case.
According to the complaint filed by the university’s chief security officer, a request had been submitted on April 2 seeking booking of a hall for an April 7 programme on drug abuse awareness and the role of youth in tackling the issue. The hall booking was made in the name of an assistant professor.
The complaint alleges that on the day of the programme, university security staff reported that nearly 300–400 students and outsiders attended the event. Political speeches were also delivered, which allegedly disturbed the academic atmosphere and social harmony on campus. It was further alleged that several chairs and other items at the venue were damaged during the gathering.
Reacting to the FIR, Chautala — who was earlier booked in another vandalism case linked to an event at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology (GJU S&T) in Hisar — criticised the government.
“Another FIR has been registered against me and my associates in connection with an old matter. The government believes we will be intimidated. It wants universities to function only under the influence of RSS and ABVP,” Chautala said in a post on X. He added that the government remained silent on issues such as fee hikes, hostel facilities and student union elections.
“This struggle is not only for JJP or INSO but for the freedom of universities. The government may send me and others to jail, but the movement must continue. If voices are suppressed today, no one will dare to speak tomorrow. We will continue this fight,” he wrote.
INSO senior state vice-president Jaswinder Khaira alleged that the case was registered at the behest of the government following the Hisar incident. He said the FIR was registered on April 17, nearly two weeks after the April 7 event. “If any wrongdoing had occurred, why was the case registered after such a delay?” Khaira asked.
Khaira claimed that a large turnout of students led to chairs breaking accidentally. He said organisers had approached university authorities and offered to bear the cost of damages, adding that a fine was also sought by the university. He alleged that the FIR was politically motivated.
A police official said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the matter. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
Earlier, tension had erupted at GJU S&T in Hisar after university authorities denied permission to the JJP youth wing to organise an event on campus, leading to protests.
During that incident, police said security barricades were breached, flower pots were damaged and scuffles broke out between protesters and security personnel.
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