University shut till January 5; Internet services suspended..

Police entered the Aligarh Muslim University campus on December 15 evening after a clash broke out between students and the police. Sources in the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College said that at least 60 students were brought in with injuries after the clash. Salman Imtiaz, president of the outgoing students Union is also injured with rubber bullet injuries. The district administration has shut down the Internet services for the next 24 hours.

At around 8.30 p.m. students came out of the Sir Syed gate in solidarity with the Jamia Millia students who faced a lathi-charge on December 15.

Sources said it was a sudden surge as the Students’ Union had just planned to issue a statement. The students have been peacefully protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Bill/ Act since December 8. Eyewitnesses said the proctorial team failed to stop the students. Deputy proctor Naved Khan got injured while trying to stop the students. The police fired tear gas shells and managed to disperse the students for a while.

“But they returned with salt and buckets to quell the threat of tear gas shells,” said a student requesting anonymity. Then stones were hurled at the police injuring many police personnel including some senior officials.

Aligarh Muslim University students protest in Aligarh on December 15, 2019 in solidarity with the students of Delhi’s Jamia Milia Islamia. Photo: Special Arrangement

“After that, the police entered the campus, and lathi-charged the students and broke their vehicles,” said a source. “They entered Sir Syed Hall (North) and Morisson Hall and beat up the students.” A room was also allegedly set on fire in Morisson Hall. While the police sources it was the work of the students, the latter held the police responsible for it. A student alleged that the university administration was nowhere to be seen. “The Vice-Chancellor has yet to make a statement. The letter of the closure was handwritten by the registrar. They have closed down the campus but we don’t know how we will move out.”

University spokesperson Prof. Shafey Kidwai said the authorities were in touch with the district administration to find out a modality to evacuate the hostels. “It has been a sudden development and students have nowhere to go. We are chalking out a plan,” he said.

Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has appealed for peace. Later, UP Police tweeted that situation in AMU was under control.

Police personnel conduct a march at the Aligarh Muslim University campus in Aligarh on December 15, 2019 after student protests against Citizenship Act. | Photo Credit: PTI

PTI adds:

“The university is closed from today (15/12/2019) till 05/01/2020. This is being done due to disturbances created by some antisocial elements for last three days,” AMU registrar Abdul Hamid said in a statement. “All other offices will remain open as usual and the closure of the university is for the purpose of reading and examination only. The remaining examination will be conducted after 05/01/2020,” the statement added. He said the schedule for examination will be notified later.