Shillong, Nov 10: The ongoing student protest at the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has taken a dramatic turn with violence finding its way into the week-long peaceful protest. Vice Chancellor Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla made a narrow escape in the wee hours of Sunday morning when his Bungalow was attacked by miscreants.

His bungalow was attacked at around 1.30 AM to 2 AM on Sunday morning, when a group of miscreates managed to enter his premises and vandalised the property. Among the damaged is his car whose windshields have been broken with stones and flowerpots, several windows including kitchen windows, dozens of utensils, two CCTV cameras, one electricity pole, among other things.

In the midst of the vandalization, the VC made a narrow escape from his official bungalow in the dark of the night with minor injuries. His current whereabouts are unknown but he has confirmed to a media house that he is still in Shillong but not in the campus.

However, the NEHU community in the Shillong campus was not aware that he is no more in the campus as the students took out a protest rally to his residence in late afternoon, only to be stopped by a police team and be informed that the VC was ‘missing’ from his bungalow.

Meanwhile, the university’s Acting Registrar, B Rynjah, has filed an FIR regarding the vandalization at the VC’s official bungalow.

“An FIR has been filed by the acting registrar of the university against the incident and accordingly a case has been registered,” SP (City) Dara Ashwagosh said.

He informed that additional forces had been deployed at the residence of the VC. “When we visited the place of occurrence, he (VC) was also not there,” he said while adding the police are enquiring into the matter including the whereabouts of the VC.

The SP said that investigation is on and no arrest has been made so far.

Earlier, the SP along with the district magistrate had also stopped students from taking out a peaceful march via the official residence of the VC. The peaceful march was organized by the Research Scholar Forum of NEHU in support of the demands of the agitating students.

President of Research Scholars Forum NEHU, Superior Syngkli, alleged that the VC has gone missing since last night. “The chief security officer of the VC has assured us that FIR will be filed since the VC is missing without filing for leave application,” Syngkli said.

He said the research scholars are extending their full support to the NEHUSU who are demanding the immediate resignation of Prof PS Shukla.

While the university’s non-teaching staff have been on a cease work since November 4, the students under the banner of North Eastern Hill University Students’ Union (NEHUSU) and backed by the Khasi Students Union (KSU – NEHU Unit) have been on indefinite hunger strike since November 5 and have locked the campus since November 6, severely restricting entry and exit of people into the university campus. The KSU unit has been manning the gates and checking every vehicle entering the university campus, with even non-resident faculty members not allowed to bring their vehicles inside the campus.

The students have been demanding the resignation of the VC and termination of services of the Registrar and Deputy Registrar.

On the other hand, the VC has made multiple appeals to the students to call off their strike and come to the negotiating table, but the students have refused the offer and remain firm on their demand for his and other senior officials’ resignations.

Also Read: Celebrating Faith and Community: Sacred Heart Parish Day in Williamnagar

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