New Delhi: New Delhi: JNU students were on Monday stopped by the police and baton-charged near the Bhikaji Cama Place Metro station during their march towards the Rashtrapati Bhawan as they sought an appointment with the president over the hostel fee hike issue. Heavy deployment of police was in place ahead of the march from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. Roads leading to the campus were shut for traffic and appeals made to students to protest peacefully, a police officer said.

The students circulated photos, claiming the police have closed all gates of the university before beginning the march. As they began, they shouted slogans like 'Delhi Police go back' and 'Education must be free for all'. When the students reached a cordoned area near the Bhikaji Cama Place Metro station, they tried to jump the barricades and were lathicharged by the police. They had planned to march to the Rashtrapati Bhavan from the campus seeking an appointment with the president, the visitor of the varsity to urge him to intervene and ensure that the hike in hostel fee is rolled back.