HISAR: A pall of fear and gloom hung over the campus of the Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), here, last week, following the grisly murder of a student. A group of six youths barged into a hostel room and attacked the inmates with swords, knives and rods, killing one and seriously injuring another.
Praveen Rathi, a second year student of diploma course in veterinary livestock development, died on the spot after being repeatedly stabbed with a knife, while his classmate, Yoginder Sangwan, who was at lacked with swords, was shifted to the Medical College Hospital, at Rohtak, in critical condition.
The students abstained from classes and boycotted the ongoing internal examinations to protest against the murder.
The University Vice-chancellor, Dr. Sarvadan and Arya, rushed back from. Delhi and held an emergency meeting with the deans and heads of various departments, to discuss the security ‘arrangements in view of the repeated Clashes in the university. It was decided to set up a permanent police Post on the campus.
Only last month, nine students were injured in ‘a group clash on the campus, following which the university administration had suspended 17 students.
Four of the attackers, two of them from campus school, have been booked by the police under Section 302 of the IPC, for murder. They are Gagan Joshi, Navneet, Vikram and Suraj, However, no arrests have been made so far.
Manoj Balyan, a classmate of the deceased, who was present at the time of attack, said that the sudden attack, around 8:30 pm caught them unaware,
“Seven of us were sitting in the room when the attackers, numbering six centered with swords, rods and knives,” he said. While Praveen was stabbed with a knife and died on the spot
Yogender was attacked with sword.
Another student, Parminder, suffered bruises on his arm.
Manoj said that earlier last evening, Praveen and Yogender had an altercation with two of the attackers, Gagan and Navneet.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 15, 1995
