NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR at Jamia Nagar Police Station over alleged vandalism at Jamia Millia Islamia, naming unidentified persons on a complaint by the university administration.
The latest FIR takes the total number of cases registered in connection with the ongoing Jamia controversy to two, even as two student leaders were sent to judicial custody, a female hostel resident received a show-cause notice, and protesting students marked the university’s 106th Foundation Day with an alternative gathering on Thursday.
The two students, Zeeshan Khan and Mohammad Faizan, associated with the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), were detained on Wednesday and produced before the SEM court at Amar Colony Police Station. They were subsequently sent to judicial custody at Tihar Jail for three days.
Meanwhile, the university administration issued a show-cause notice to a female resident of Begum Hazrat Mahal Girls’ Hostel for allegedly taking emergency leave on misleading grounds and participating in a protest demanding the restoration of the Jamia Students’ Union, which has remained defunct since 2006. Issued by the hostel provost on October 27, the notice asked the student to submit a written explanation within 24 hours and warned of possible disciplinary action if her response was found unsatisfactory.
Against this backdrop, protesting students boycotted the university’s official Foundation Day celebrations and organized an alternative programme, ‘Inquilabi Mela’, at Gulistan-e-Ghalib near gate number 7. The gathering marked the 18th day of the ongoing hunger strike and agitation, led by five students Ebin Basil, Rehan Khan, Ritik, Altaf and Abuzar.
The programme was organized in a symbolic, celebratory format, with the five hunger-striking students accorded the status of chief guests and honoured with flowers and shawls. Students sang the university anthem and raised slogans, including “Jamia ki deewaron pe inquilab aayega”, reiterating their demand for an elected Students’ Union.
The protesters also demanded the release of detained students, withdrawal of punitive action and show-cause notices, removal of the university’s Chief Proctor and Security Advisor, and reopening of the campus for regular academic activities.
Rejecting the administration’s online-class arrangement, students announced that they would continue boycotting online classes until the campus reopened. They called for meaningful dialogue and a time-bound roadmap for restoring the elected students’ body.
The students urged the administration to address their demands through dialogue rather than disciplinary measures, warning that the agitation would continue until their demands were met.