Tension gripped Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Tuesday after several Hindu students

AGRA: Tension gripped Aligarh Muslim University ( AMU ) on Tuesday after several Hindu students -- including Ajay Singh, the grandson of Aligarh BJP MLA Dalveer Singh -- and some BJP office bearers were allegedly assaulted by the varsity students belonging to another community when they were on protest to demand the cancellation of the proposed visit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi to the campus. Police said two-three rounds were also fired by unidentified persons.

Five vehicles belonging to Ajay’s supporters were vandalized, and one among these was allegedly set ablaze. Additional police force were deployed outside the campus since morning as local BJP activists and Hindu students from the varsity had announced their decision not to allow Owaisi enter Aligarh.

A case has been registered against 14 AMU students, including AMU students’ president Salman Imtiaz, vice-president Humza Sufyan, secretary Hufaiza Aamir, former president of the union Mashkoor Ahmed, former secretary Nadeem Ansari and several unidentified students under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 392 (robbery), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 124-A (sedition) 153-A and B (promoting enmity) of IPC on the basis of a complaint filed by BJP Yuva Morcha district president Mukesh Kumar Lodhi .

According to officials, the clash took place after a BTech (final year) student, Manish Chaudhary, was assaulted by one Mohd Imran of Suleman Hostel after the former came out in support of the protesters. When the news spread, students led by Ajay reached the proctor’s office and protested against the assault on Manish.

The protesting students were allegedly thrown out of the proctor's office by the internal security of AMU. Then then staged a dharna at the AMU circle outside the campus. Eyewitnesses said these students were soon joined by local BJP workers and leaders, including the unit spokesperson Nishit Sharma and Mukesh Kumar Lodhi.

Mukesh told media persons that when he reached the AMU circle, hundreds of students from the other community arrived and allegedly assaulted one of his workers, Manoj Sharma, who was later admitted in a private hospital. “Today (Tuesday), these AMU students have shown their terrorist mentality,” said Mukesh and added that he would file a complaint against them. Nishit Sharma and Ajay were also admitted in hospital after the brawl.

Earlier in the day, two women TV journalist and several local media persons were allegedly attacked by AMU students and internal security staff when they were trying to report the matter from inside the campus. Their cameras were also damaged by the AMU students. The journalists have lodged a police complaint against a member of the security staff, Ajeem Akhtar, and several other unidentified persons. In the complaint, the journalists said they were abused by the students and staff.

When contacted, varsity's spokesperson Shafey Kidwai said that the TV journalists neither sought any permission nor were granted any approval by the university authorities to enter the campus.

According to varsity sources, when some students raised objection to the presence of journalists at the proctor's office, a Republic TV cameraperson misbehaved with the varsity staff, who then escorted the two journalists and their team outside the campus. The AMU administration has sent applications to lodge two separate FIRs regarding the incident.

A few protesting students tried to take the advantage of the situation and raised some objectionable slogans that provoked the other group of students. The situation was normalised by timely intervention of the University administration. A few unidentified youth set afire some two-wheelers allegedly parked by outsiders inside the campus, said a varsity source.

Speaking to TOI, Aligarh SP (city) Ashutosh Dwivedi said that FIRs are being registered. Further action will be taken after checking the CCTV footage of the incident.

