Hours after the unseen violence swept the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Sunday, eyewitnesses said that the flare-up could have been averted if the police had taken action on time.

However, Special Commissioner, Delhi Police, R.S. Krishnaiah said that the police entered into the campus only on the request of the university administration following a clash.

In wake of the violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inquired from the Delhi Police about the situation in the varsity. According to officials, Shah spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to find about the situation as the police were deployed in the campus to restore peace. The organisation to which masked goons are associated with is also being investigated.

Sources said that the clash between the Left-backed students' outfits and ABVP workers started since Sunday afternoon after server snag stalled registration of the students on the last day. The ABVP had alleged that the Left-wing students had closed the server room, causing the technical glitch. Meanwhile, around 3:30 p.m., some activists of ABVP informed the police about the attack on them at Periyar hostel. It is said that Manish, who was a candidate of ABVP Students' Union election, has been roughed up during the scuffle.

Soonm after that, the police sought permission from the university administration to enter the campus. By 4 p.m., four to five police vehicles had reached the main gate.

Sources also said that the police stood there waiting for permission, till then masked men armed with sticks attacked students and teachers and damaged property inside the campus. The whole incident took place between 5 p.m and 6 p.m.. More than 60 students are said to have been injured in the incident. While the left wing students are accusing ABVP workers of assault, the ABVP officials are telling the hand of the left students behind the violence.

Eyewitnesses said that by the time the police arrived to find the permission letter, the bloody game had been executed.

Sources in the university administration, however, say that police were called by phone when masked goons were reported to have entered the campus. However, what time the administration called the police, at what time the incident happened, there are different statements about it.

Police sources said they have waited for written permission because they have been advised on several occasions from high levels not to enter the campus without the permission of the university administration. Earlier, there has been a dispute over the entry of police into some universities including JNU without permission.