Lucknow: Lucknow University authorities have lodged an FIR against some unidentified students and outsiders on charges of rioting, vandalism, and disturbing communal harmony on the campus. The FIR, lodged by registrar Bhavana Mishra on behalf of the university, said that some unidentified students along with a few outsiders vandalised the barricading around the historic Lal Baradari on the campus and later offered namaz followed by roza iftari on Feb 22. In the complaint, she said that Lal Baradari has been barricaded as it is in a dilapidated condition and may collapse, posing a risk to people. She stated that unidentified students and some outsiders vandalised the fencing around Lal Baradari on Feb 22. They also offered namaz outside Lal Baradari, which is a public place. The complaint claimed that this amounted to unlawful assembly, obstruction of officials from performing their duties, and disturbance of public order and communal harmony. However, according to the students who offered namaz, they were opposing the sealing of the mosque in Lal Baradari. They said the mosque is not damaged and had been used regularly for offering prayers. As the month of Ramazan is underway, they only offered prayers and broke their fast. Later, students said they staged a demonstration and took out a peaceful protest march. Additional inspector at Hasanganj police station, Pramod Kumar Pandey, said, “Viral videos of the events that took place on Feb 22 are being analysed to identify the individuals who created a ruckus.”
