Police find pistol, bullets in bag near JNU gate

New Delhi, Nov 8: A bag containing a pistol and seven live cartridges was recovered from the main gate of JNU early on Monday. Police said the bag might have been kept by someone who was familiar with the campus as the gate was not under CCTV surveillance. A case under the Arms Act has been registered at Vasant Kunj (north) police station.

Police suspect that the person panicked seeing cops raid the campus to search for BSc student Najeeb Ahmed and left the bag near the gate to avoid detection. The possibility of an attempt to spread panic on the campus has not been ruled out.

The matter came to the fore when a security guard noticed an abandoned bag at 1.30am near the main entrance. "He thought a student must have forgotten it and would come to collect it later," said a police officer.

"When no one came till late evening, the guard opened the bag and found a country-made 7.62mm pistol, seven live cartridges, a water bottle and a screwdriver. They informed the PCR and the administration staff," the officer added.

Police reached the spot and seized the bag, which they claimed was new. Teams from the anti-terror units and senior officials from the south district have taken matter seriously.

Meanwhile, the JNU administration has decided to install CCTV cameras in and around the campus.

"The presence of weapons inside the campus raises a grave concern about the safety and security of all residents. Taking serious note of such incidences, the administration is in the process of installing CCTV cameras at the gates, sensitive areas, and public places," a press note from the university said.

"This news reminds us of Amit Jani (a member of Hindutva brigade) who threatened to enter JNU and shoot Kanhaiya Kumar and Umar Khalid in March when a fight was on against the police crackdown on students. We demand a proper inquiry to find out who kept the bag at the gate," said JNU Student Union president, Mohit Pandey.