Police Lathi-Charge on ABVP Protesters Near Assembly; Dozen Injured, ABVP Slams Government
Tension flared outside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Tapovan on Wednesday when police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers attempting to gherao the Assembly complex during the ongoing winter session. The students were protesting over a range of academic and administrative issues.
Arvind Sharma
Dec 3, 2025 08:30
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Dharamshala Tapovan, December 3, 2025: Tension flared outside the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly in Tapovan on Wednesday when police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) workers attempting to gherao the Assembly complex during the ongoing winter session. The students were protesting over a range of academic and administrative issues.
The confrontation occurred near Zorawar Stadium after protesters tried to break through the barricades. Police used force as the situation escalated, resulting in injuries to several ABVP activists and some female police personnel.
The incident triggered strong political reactions, with ABVP leaders and the BJP sharply criticizing the state government.
ABVP State Minister Nancy Atal condemned the police action, alleging that the “cruel and barbaric face” of the Sukhu government stood exposed. “Raising students’ issues is a democratic right, but today the government strangled democracy by lathi-charging even female students. More than a dozen activists have been seriously injured,” she said.
Atal accused the government of consistently neglecting youth-related issues over the past three years — dismantling the education system, failing to appoint permanent vice-chancellors in state universities, delaying the Central University Dharamshala campus project, and refusing to restore student union elections. She said the ABVP’s attempt to surround the Assembly was aimed at highlighting these long-pending concerns, but instead of initiating dialogue, the government chose repression.
“This government is afraid of the rising voice of students. The Vidyarthi Parishad will not remain silent. From the streets to the Assembly, we will hold this government accountable,” Atal said, warning of intensified protests if demands are not met.
ABVP maintains that the coming months will see widespread statewide agitation unless the government addresses issues related to education, employment, and university administration without further delay.
