A first information report has been registered against 13 persons, including students from Delhi University’s Hansraj College, for alleged violence and misconduct during an annual festival earlier this month, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.

Among those are students who were suspended by the college between April 20 and April 25, according to the newspaper.

In the past week, the college has suspended 30 students for alleged breach of discipline and defaming the institute on social media.

Rama Sharma, the principal of Hansraj College, told The Indian Express on Monday that the administration of the institute had to involve the police as the “situation was getting out of hand”.

“Since the student union was the one that held the fest, we had to name the four office-bearers [of the students’ union] as well in our complaint,” the newspaper quoted her as saying.

The case pertains to the incident that took place at the annual festival of the college earlier this month. During the event, students had allegedly clashed physically with outsiders who trespassed onto the campus.

Videos circulating widely on social media between April 8 and April 9 purportedly showed clashes between students during the event.

On April 24, an FIR was filed against the 13 persons at the Maurice Nagar police station based on a complaint filed by Sharma, The Indian Express reported.

The case was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita pertaining to criminal trespass and voluntarily causing hurt.

The notices

The FIR is the latest development in a series of disputes between students and the administration at Hansraj College in the past few months.

In February, students had protested against the wedding of the principal’s son being held on campus, alleging that it restricted access to the college grounds. Tensions over permissions for the student festival escalated soon after, The Indian Express reported.

Students have also accused the college administration of stifling dissent.

In the first notice issued by the administration on April 20, former students’ union chief Parth Srivastava was accused of “acts of indiscipline”, including defaming the institute and using “derogatory language” about teaching and non-teaching staff.

The notice stated that he had been given “multiple opportunities” to appear before a disciplinary committee with his parents, but failed to do so. When he appeared alone on March 23, he “neither expressed remorse nor acknowledged his conduct”, it added.

Srivastava has claimed that he is being targeted, PTI reported.

He said that he had participated in the protests in February and filed a Right to Information application regarding alleged irregularities, after which he was suspended. He has approached the Delhi High Court, PTI quoted him as saying.

On April 20, the college issued another notice suspending 14 students for a “serious incident of violence, misconduct and breach of discipline” during the annual festival held on April 8 and April 9.

On April 22, four students were suspended for alleged physical violence on campus. A day later, seven students were suspended for allegedly defaming the college on social media and engaging in activities that have “adversely affected the academic environment of the institution”.

Another notice issued on Saturday suspended the president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary of the students’ union with immediate effect, pending disciplinary proceedings, citing “serious incidents of violence, misconduct and breach of discipline” during the festival.

Earlier, the students’ union president, Abhijit Singh, claimed that the crackdown disproportionately targeted those active in campus politics, The Indian Express reported.

“Some students were singled out because they intended to contest elections,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Singh described the action as discriminatory.

However, the administration maintained that the measures were necessary to restore order.

On Monday, the principal said that the college had agreed to review two of the notices, including the one naming the four office-bearers, after requests from students, The Indian Express reported.

However, no such review has yet been initiated for those named in the FIR, Sharma added.

“If they are willing to realise their mistake and come forward to talk and sort things out with the administration, the college will cooperate in helping them out in any way possible,” the newspaper quoted her as saying.