On the night of December 3-4, 1994, the Maurice Nagar police received a phone call from frantic hostel students of Hansraj College that a group of students had started rioting on the hostel premises. The police rushed to the spot to find a group of students fighting near the main gate, amidst a burning motorcyle.

There was more damage upstairs, as the rioters had broken doors and smashed windows in seven rooms. It was later discovered that the violence was the fallout of an argument that took place between two groups of students a few days earlier.

The nine students were charge-sheeted under Sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage) of the IPC. The court subsequently rejected the charges under Sections 148 and 323 IPC.

Hansraj College Principal J.R. Kapoor was also questioned during the trial. However, before he could be cross-examined, the students pleaded guilty. They told the court that they had committed the crime on provocation, but without any criminal intent. They asked the court to take a lenient view, explaining that they should be given an opportunity to reform and become useful citizens.

Defence Counsel Dharmendra Kumar Mishra today said: ``It is important now that their future is not jeopardised. Under Section 12 of the Probation of Offender's Act, any order passed under Section 3 and 4 (dealing with admonishing and probation) does not disqualify a person from a future job. This has also been laid down by the Supreme Court''.