First year students at an Uttar Pradesh University aced the exam by allegedly writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and names of cricketers in the answer sheet. But then the law caught up.

Two professors at state-run Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University in Jaunpur were suspended for allegedly extorting money from students in exchange of marks on answer sheets written with songs, music and religious slogans.

Student leader Divyanshu Singh had alleged in a letter sent to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Governor and Vice Chancellor that with the connivance of some officials of university, even the students who got zero marks were passed by giving them more than 60 percent marks.

Irregularities, exposed by an RTI response, were identified during the assessment of special bank copies, resulting in significant variations in marks upon re-evaluation.

“There was an allegation that students have been given more marks. So we constituted a committee. That Committee in its report said that students have been awarded more marks,” said Vice-Chancellor Vandana Singh.

Asked about the religious slogans, she said: “Have not seen the copy with Jai Shri Ram answers but saw a copy in which I could not make out anything relevant based on which marks could be given to the student. The handwriting was not very clear.”

The Raj Bhavan had written a letter to the Vice-Chancellor of the University and directed to take action in the matter.

NDTV has accessed the answer sheets where Jai Shri Ram appears in the middle of the answer about ‘pharmacy as career’. In the same answer, appears the names of cricketers like Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.

The examiners, Dr Vinay Verma and Manish Gupta, were suspended in the examination committee meeting on Wednesday.

“Teachers have been warned so that such a thing is not repeated. The committee has recommended termination for the involved teachers. But there’s a model code of conduct is in place and further action will be taken once the poll code is lifted,” said the Vice-Chancellor.  

Bengaluru:

Two people have been injured in Bengaluru after an argument broke out between them and four others, allegedly over chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’. A case has been registered and two accused have been arrested while two others – at least one of whom is a minor – have been detained on charges of hurting religious feelings and rioting, among others. 

Police officials said three men, identified as Pavan Kumar, Rahul and Binayak, were in a car and were going to inspect a second-hand two-wheeler that was on sale. They had a saffron flag and were chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on Wednesday, when Ram Navami was celebrated, said an official.

Around 3.45 pm, two men on a bike, identified as Farman and Sameer, stopped them in North Bengaluru’s Chikkabettahalli and asked why they were chanting the slogan, saying that they should only shout ‘Allahu Akbar’, according to the first information report in the case.

“Farman then tried to snatch the flag from the three men, two of whom chased him into a lane. Sameer rode away. The three men returned to their car a little while later and were accosted by Sameer and Farman, who was carrying a stick,” said an official from the Vidyaranyapura police station, where the FIR was registered. 

Two others, at least one of whom is a minor and another whose age is being ascertained, also joined Farman and Sameer and allegedly assaulted Rahul and Binayak. While Rahul was attacked with the stick and suffered head injuries, Binayak was hit on the nose. 

The accused fled after the attack and the police reached the spot and took the three men to the police station. Pavan registered the complaint and they were all taken to a hospital. Farman and Sameer have been arrested while the two suspected minors have been detained. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Lakshmi Prasad, said, “A case has been registered under IPC Sections 295 (outraging religious feelings), 298 (intentionally hurting religious feelings), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), and rioting at Vidhyaranyapura police station. The three men were holding a flag and chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while travelling in the car. During that time, two men blocked the car and asked why they were shouting the slogans, also demanding that they say Allahu Akbar.”