NEW DELHI: Seeking a high-level inquiry into the Delhi Police entering the Jamia Millia Islamia campus on Sunday evening, its vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar on Monday said the incident had deeply affected the students
The police had entered the premises without permission from the administration, she asserted. Akhtar was particularly agitated with the security personnel barging in the library and beating the students inside the university complex.
She said that ‘it’ (police action) was not accepted at all and the administration would request the HRD to set up an inquiry. “Police intruded the campus without permission. Here, I am particularly mentioning the police beating the students in the library. Students who were reading were baton-charged,” she said at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
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Akhtar said she had spoken to the secretary of the HRD ministry and the minister on the matter.
University’s chief proctor Waseem Ahmed Khan had claimed on Sunday that Delhi Police personnel entered the university by force without any permission.
Mandeep Singh Randhawa, public relations officer (PRO) of Delhi Police said that allegations of policemen beating students and lobbing tear gas shells in the library, would be investigated.
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However, condemning the police action, Akhtar said, “We demand a high-level inquiry into the matter. There were costly equipment, which have been damaged inside the university. It will be difficult to procure them again,” she said.
The VC said people should not defame the university by blaming its students for the violence. “Be cautious while reporting about Jamia. I appeal to the people that the university shouldn’t be defamed. It is a reputed institution, which was born out of the national freedom movement,” she said.
Akhtar also denied the death of university students during violence or police action on Sunday. “Several students were injured in the incident and many were detained. The university officials were working through the night to help them out. All of them have been released. About 200 of them were detained,” she said.
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The university also demanded that Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Marg, a road which cuts through the campus, should also be handed over to the administration for the safety and security of the students.
“The road is also used by people living in the vicinity. We demand that this road should be given to the university. There should be a separate bypass for others,” she said adding that the university would also file an FIR in the matter.
Six Metro stations shut
Six metro stations were closed for up to four hours in view of protests on Monday. Entry and exit from Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg and Janpath stations were barred till 7 pm
IGNOU shifts exam centre
The Indira Gandhi National Open University shifted its examination centre from Jamia Millia Islamia to alternative venue in view of the tense situation at the university’s campus since Sunday.
Movement of traffic barred
Traffic movement was closed from Sarita Vihar to Kalindi Kunj on Monday morning. “Motorists heading towards Noida are requested to take Mathura Road, Ashram and DND,” Delhi Traffic Police tweeted