JNU Violence: Delhi Police Identifies Masked Woman

Delhi police have identified the masked woman seen in videosof the January 5 attack on JNU students and faculty members as Komal Sharma, aDelhi University student affiliated to the ABVP.

Delhi Police said Sharma is a student of Daulat Ram Collegeand is a member of the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad(ABVP). Many students and faculty members who were attacked on January 5alleged that the ‘masked goons’ were ABVP members.

In videos that went viral, Sharma is seen wearing a checked shirt, covering her face with a light blue scarf. She was carrying a stick and can be heard threatening students along with two other men – who are also masked and armed – inside the Sabarmati hostel, where many students were beaten up and rooms were vandalised.

The police have served a notice to Sharma and two others, Akshat Awasthi and Rohit Shah, under IPC Section 160, punishment for committing affray [an instance of group fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace]. Police claimed they are yet to be traced and that their phones have been switched off.