Security stepped up at Jamia, 10 students detained for protest
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The student's protest started on Monday.
New Delhi: Security has been heightened at Jamia Millia Islamia University as Delhi Police detained over 10 students for protesting against the university's disciplinary action against two PhD scholars. The students were served show-cause notices for allegedly organizing a demonstration last year, an official said on Thursday.
The protest began on Monday, with students condemning what they described as the administration's "crackdown on student activism." The university alleged that the protesters vandalized campus property, including the central canteen, and damaged the gate of the security advisor's office, prompting the administration to take action.
According to police sources, the university requested police intervention to disperse the protesting students and maintain order. "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 stated. Another officer confirmed that the students had been detained and that further investigations were underway.
In an official statement, the university claimed that a small group of students had unlawfully gathered in the academic block since the evening of February 10, disrupting classes and preventing others from accessing the Central Library. The protest, the statement said, came at a critical time when mid-semester exams were approaching.
The university reiterated its allegations of vandalism and damage to campus property, stating that the students had violated university regulations and were found carrying "objectionable contraband items." The administration took a strong stance against the defacement of walls, obstruction of classes, and destruction of property, leading to preventive measures to ensure normal academic activities.
Despite the administration’s offer to address the students’ concerns through discussions with a committee, the protesters allegedly refused to engage with university officials, including the Supervisor, Head, and Dean. In response, the university administration, along with the Proctorial team, removed the students from the protest site and evicted them from the campus. Police were called to ensure law and order.
Student leader Sonakshi told PTI that the protesters had four key demands: revoking the show-cause notices issued to the two PhD students, repealing the 2022 Office Memorandum that restricts protests on campus, scrapping the Rs 50,000 fine for graffiti and posters, and ensuring no future disciplinary action against students for participating in protests.
The disciplinary committee is scheduled to meet on February 25 to review the role of the two PhD students in organizing "Jamia Resistance Day" on December 15, 2024, an annual event marking the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
With PTI inputs