Date:02/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/02/stories/2006090207881200.htm

National

Eyewitness in Ujjain case provided security

Staff Correspondent

He claimed he was receiving threats

BHOPAL: Madhav College peon Komal Singh Sengar, a key witness to the assault on Professor H.S. Sabharwal, has been provided security cover by the police after he said that he was receiving threats to his life.

Talking to presspersons here on Friday, Mr. Sengar said the threats would not deter him from deposing in the case.

He said Sabharwal and Professor M.L. Nath were assaulted by about 20 to 25 persons for almost 15 to 20 minutes. Professor Sabharwal fainted, and was taken to hospital in another professor's car. All the time, policemen were on duty outside the gate.

It is learnt that four persons had been identified by Mr. Sengar on the basis of photographs and video footage taken during the assault on the professor on August 26.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad leaders Shashiranjan Akela and Vimal Tomar were arrested on Thursday in connection with the incident, and have been remanded to judicial custody till Saturday.

Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh have reacted strongly to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan's statement that the death should not be treated as murder.

The Leader of the Opposition, Jamuna Devi, State party spokesman Manak Agarwal and others lodged a complaint against Mr. Chauhan at the T.T. Nagar police station in the evening.

They alleged that the Chief Minister was trying to influence the investigation into the case through his statement.

"Change election process"

UNI reports:

Governor Balram Jakhar has advised the Government to change the process of students' union elections so that educational institutions did not emerge as centres of "undecorous activities."