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Police inaction blamed for Sabharwal murder

`Despite the presence of sufficient police force, Ujjain professor lost his life in an unfortunate incident'

Indore: The preliminary probe on the role of police in the violence in Ujjain that led to the murder of a college professor H.S. Sabharwal last year has clearly blamed police "inaction and incapability" for the tragedy.

"It is clear that despite the presence of sufficient police force, a very sad and unfortunate incident took place in the Madhav college in which a professor has lost his life and the age old tradition of `guru-shishya parampara' (teacher-pupil tradition) got badly scarred," the report submitted by the DIG (Ujjain range) said. The incident occurred on August 26.

"Besides, it also reflects the incapability and inaction of the police and the administration," said the report, a copy of which is available with PTI. The report said when the violence was taking place police forces failed to act firmly to avert the situation and also did not arrest anyone on time from the spot. The report said some students owing allegiance to National Students Union of India (NSUI) forcibly entered the college premises, misbehaved with the professors and damaged the Principal's office.

"Later, Akhil Bhartiya Vidhyarti Parishad (ABVP) workers also entered the premises unauthorisedly and misbehaved with the college Principal L.N. Verma and Professor M.L. Nath and also threw mud on Prof. Nath's face."

It further said: ``possibly, few among them later bashed up Prof. Sabharwal outside the college gate number two near a temple and a handpump resulting in his death."

The memorandum submitted by the college principal and staff members with a verbal request to treat it as their last statement on the issue stated: "first, the NSUI workers led by the corporator Azad Yadav entered the college premises forcibly and created ruckus. Later, one Sanjeev Jain hit Prof. Nath with a stick causing injury to him." ``However, police later used force to disperse them outside the college," the memorandum which was appended with the report said.

"After that ABVP workers including its State president, Shashiranjan Singh Akela, secretary Vimal Tomar, Hemant Dube, Vishal Rajoria, Bhanu Bhadoria, Sudhir Yadav and Luv Shukla forced their entry into the college and misbehaved with the staff members." "Sudhir Yadav harassed Professor Nath by throwing mud over his face following which he fell and become unconscious. Meanwhile, according to eyewitnesses, the same unruly group hit the scooter of Professor Sabharwal (outside the gate no. 2) following which he fell down and later beat him severely with hands and legs resulting in his death in the presence of police and administrative officials,'' the report said.

It can be recalled that after the State CID took over the probe, it has arrested six ABVP leaders including Akela, Tomar, Rajoria, Dube, Yadav and Pankaj Mishra for the alleged murder of Prof. Sabharwal, but key witnesses including the college peon, Komal Singh turned hostile in the court. -- PTI

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