Parthasarathy Rock area not permanently closed down: JNU

The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration on Sunday said they had not "permanently closed down the Parthasarathy Rock" area on the campus.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) and other student bodies have been protesting against the move, saying the administration is closing down "democratic spaces".

On Sunday, the chief security officer of the university said it was a "rumour".

"No such decision has been taken and a lock was temporarily put up on the gate at the time of some repair work," the officer said in a circular.

Some miscreants had broken open the lock and uprooted the iron gate on the intervening night of October 19-20, the circular said.

The act was tantamount to a criminal offence of "damaging public/university property and investigations are on to find out the culprits", the circular added.

"This is to bring to the notice of the JNU community that the Parthasarathy Rock area has been found to be misused sometimes and that includes alcohol ...