Delhi Police arrested over ten Jamia Millia Islamia University students on Thursday for demonstrating against the school's disciplinary measures. The students' protest was in response to show-cause orders sent to two PhD scholars who were accused of planning a protest the previous year.
The demonstration started on Monday in response to what was described as the university's "crackdown on student activism." Nonetheless, the university charged that the students who were demonstrating had damaged university property, such as the security advisor's office and the central canteen.
#WATCH | Delhi: Security heightened outside the Jamia Millia Islamia after several students staged protests and vandalised university property.
— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025
A handful of students called for a protest in the academic block on the evening of February 10. Since then, they have disturbed the… pic.twitter.com/VID4ZB41Cu
University released the statement, "Taking preventive measures, today morning the university administration and the Proctorial team removed the students from the site of the protest and they have been evicted from the campus. The police has been requested to maintain law and order situation."
"After receiving a request from the university administration, we removed over 10 students at around 4 am," a police official said. In order to preserve peace and order, we have also increased police presence outside the school".
"A few students called for a protest, unlawfully gathering in the academic block since the evening of February 10, 2025," the university said in its statement, which detailed the entire episode. Since then, they have not only interfered with the orderly operation of classes at the university's academic building, but they have also stopped other students from using the Central Library, causing them to attend classes at a time when the JMI campus's midterm exams are set to start.
University justifies action against protesting students
The university further added, "These handful of students have in the last two days vandalised university property, including the central canteen and also broken the gate of the security advisor forcing the JMI administration to take action. They have violated other university rules and found carrying objectionable contraband items. The university administration taking a strong view of the damage to university property and defacement of the wall and the obstruction of the classes, has taken preventive measures so that the university continues to conduct classes and other academic activities as normal."
Despite the University administration has given open offer to discuss their demands in the committee, they refused to listen and talk to the administration including supervisor, head and Dean.
(Inputs from PTI)