Amid protests against the university’s disciplinary proceedings against two PhD scholars, Delhi Police arrested more than ten Jamia Millia Islamia University students on Thursday.
Due to their alleged organization of a rally that went against university regulations last year, the PhD students received show-cause warnings. “We removed over 10 students at around 4 am after receiving a request from the university administration. Further, we have deployed heavy police security outside the campus to maintain law and order,” a police source said.
Students at Jamia started their demonstration on Monday, protesting what they called the administration’s “crackdown on student activism.” With regard to the December 2024 “Jamia Resistance Day” event, which marked the anniversary of the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rallies, the students were especially protesting the steps taken against the two PhD professors.
According to the university, the administration was compelled to respond when the protesting students crashed the gate to the security advisor’s office and damaged university property, including the central canteen. “They have violated university rules and were found carrying objectionable contraband items. The university administration, taking a strong view of the damage to university property, defacement of walls, and obstruction of classes, has taken preventive measures to ensure academic activities continue as normal,” it added.
Delhi police say Jamia University requested intervention
Police sources claim that in order to stop more disturbances, the university asked for police to step in and remove the crowds from the area.
The police acknowledged in a statement that the students who had been detained had been taken out and that investigations were still underway. Along with accusing the students of bringing “objectionable contraband items” and damaging university property, the institution also released a statement saying the demonstration was illegal.
Protesters allegedly refused to interact with university authorities, such as the Supervisor, Head, and Dean, even after the administration offered to form a committee to address the students’ complaints.
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