Shillong, April 25: The North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has hit a new low, not in terms of its ranking but its management and security in its Shillong campus. In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves across the NEHU community, Dr. Alok Singh – an Assistant Professor in the Hindi department in Shillong campus, was brutally assaulted inside his office chamber on Thursday evening allegedly by members of NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU).

Narrating the horrific incident Dr. Alok Singh told Hub News that the incident occurred at around 4.45 PM on Thursday when he was in his official chamber in the Hindi department. Six students entered his chamber and locked the door, and start to assault him, while few others guarded the door. Two of the students held his hands while four others assaulted him. After some time, they called the students who had been guarding the door to continue the assault. They also did not allow anyone from the department to come near his chamber while he was suffering.

He informed that the assaulters did not give him any reason for the attack, which was unprovoked and sudden. He said that they kept accusing him of doing politics and trying to associate him with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

“I kept asking them what happened, tell me. But they kept beating me. They said – you are doing politics here… Bringing different ideology here. They kept hitting me nonstop. They kicked me, punched me; even when I fell down, they would pick me up and keep assaulting,” he said recalling the ordeal.

He also mentioned that before beginning the 30-odd minutes of non-stop thrashing, they first snatched his phone, checked its record, pics and videos, took out all the wires of his computer, and even took away his smart watch, suspecting there could be a hidden camera in it.

He further mentioned that at one point, one of the assaulters picked up a scissor on his table and pressed it against his neck and threated to kill him. “There was a scissor kept on my table, they put it on my neck and said – I’ll kill you,” he said.

AdvertisementHe said he feels extremely vulnerable, threatened and unsafe in the campus at the moment. “I never thought something like this would happen with me here. As a teacher I feel humiliated and weak. That a teacher can be assaulted like this. They kept trying to associate me with RSS and ABVP and kept assaulting me. I never thought that I would be assaulted by my own students,” he added.

While the assaulters did not specify any reason for the assault besides linking him to politics, they later told him to leave the university permanently. Singh also mentioned that he can identity the assaulters, whom he said were NEHUSU members and some of his students.

Following the severe assault, he was taken to the civil hospital for medical treatment.

While he is yet to file a police complaint regarding the incident, he has appealed to the NEHU management and concerned authorities to take appropriate action and give him justice.

AdvertisementMeanwhile, in a collective statement, NEHU faculty members described the act as “shocking,” “deeply disturbing,” and “an attempt to murder.” They emphasized that such violence is not only an attack on an individual but also on the dignity and security of the entire academic community.

“We, the faculty members of NEHU, stand with Dr Alok Singh ji and want to express our solidarity with him and in no way we will be afraid of such criminals who wants to defame the University by violating the established rules, regulations, statues and ordinances. We are aware of and have witnessed the activities and mode of operation of such criminals during past few months, they claim to be the NEHUSU office bearers. We condemn this cowardly act of violence,” the teaching fraternity of the university said.

“This heinous act, which is an attempt to murder a faculty member in his own office, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. It is not just an attack on one individual, but on the dignity, safety, and sanctity of the entire teaching community,” they said.

In a show of solidarity, NEHU faculty members plan to stage a peaceful assembly in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s office at 3 PM on Friday. They have also urged fellow educators, students, and concerned citizens to join them in demanding stronger security measures for university staff and a commitment to justice.

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