JNU protests: Police resort to lathicharge as students march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan

The Delhi Police on Monday resorted to lathicharge after a clash with protesting Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students near Bhikaji Cama place metro station. When the students reached the cordoned off area, they tried to jump across the barricades and were lathi charged by police. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

JNU students Monday gathered on the university campus to march towards Rashtrapati Bhavan demanding an appointment with the President of India, who is also a visitor of the varsity. They will seek his intervention in the hostel fee hike issue. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

Ahead of the march, security was beefed up around the university. The exit and entry gates of three metro stations — Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg and Central Secretariat — were closed in view of various protests, including the JNU march and the Unnao case. Roads leading to JNU have been closed for traffic, the police said. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

The students have been protesting for over a month against the hostel fee hike and have given a call to boycott the upcoming semester exams despite repetitive warnings from the administration. Earlier, the HRD Ministry set up a three-member committee to look for ways to mediate between the protesting students and the varsity administration, and thereby restore normal functioning in JNU. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

The JNU Teachers' Association Monday wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind, urging him to use his powers as visitor to "end the state of crisis" brought about at the university "by the misgovernance" of the V-C, M Jagadesh Kumar. The JNUTA urged the President to "take cognizance of the rapid destruction of a premier research and educational institution" and to "find a way out of the current crisis". (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

The HRD Ministry, meanwhile, has advised the JNU administration to notify the students’ union and withdraw police complaints against students as the first step to end the standoff at the university. The government is learned to have proposed a compromise formula to the university over the weekend. The ministry is now waiting to hear back from JNU. (Express Photo by Tashi Tobgyal)

The protests caused traffic jam near the Hyatt hotel in New Delhi. (Express photo by Tashi Tobgyal.)