Police Identifies 37 People Linked to JNU Attack

Delhi Police said they have identified 37 of the 60individuals who are members of a WhatsApp group called 'Unity against Left'that they believe is linked to last week's shocking mob attack on JNU studentsand faculty members.

Around 10 of those identified so far are believed tobe outsiders – i.e., they are not students of the university – who took part inthe brutal and unchecked assault that left 34 people injured, police said.

Thecops said that the groups they have linked to the violence – Left-backedstudent outfits and BJP-linked ABVP (Akhila Bharathi Vidyarthi Parishad) – bothtook help from outsiders. They say JNU students facilitated the entry of theseoutsiders into the campus.

The police, who have come under fire for their conduct during the attack alleged the cops "did nothing" to stop it – have yet to arrest anyone since violence broke out on the campus on January 5.

On Friday they named JNU students union leader Aishe Ghosh, who was badly wounded in the attack, among nine suspects they said carried out the violence.

The cops while releasing a series of photographs –some of which did not seem to clearly identify the suspects named JNU unionleader Ghosh and others, including Yogendra Bhardwaj and Vikas Patel; both Bhardwajand Patel are said to be ABVP members.

DCP (Crime Branch), Joy Tirkey while quoted by newsagency PTI said, "No one has been detained (as yet). Notices will be served toall suspects. The suspects will be called in for questioning soon."

Tirkey further stated that the lack of CCTV footagewas a major hurdle in identifying suspects. Last week the police saidscreenshots from social media posts that went viral were also being studied.