NEW DELHI: 'I feel unsafe in my campus and want to head home', said Umar Ashraf, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia, as he stood outside one of the gates of the varsity holding a banner, 'Not safe in my university'.
Ashraf is one of the thousand students who is leaving the university campus following the police action on students on Sunday, in which they entered the campus and allegedly lathicharged students and used tear-gas shells.
"I am from Kishanganj in Bihar and we had booked our tickets for December 20 since the exams were ending on December 18. But this thing happened and I am scared. I will be staying at my friend's place for the remaining days and will head home on the day my tickets are reserved," he said.
His friend, Mudassar, who is also from Bihar, too will be staying at a friend's place till the time his tickets are confirmed.
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Many of the students who spoke did not wish to be identified and were scared of the situation prevailing in the university.
A student, who was packing her bags, to leave for home in UP, said, "My parents saw the horrific visuals on television on Sunday night about buses being torched and the subsequent police action on students. They asked me to immediately return home and now I am planning to return home."
Another student said he had initially planned to stay back in the campus after the varsity announced winter vacations but seeing Sunday's incidents and the police crackdown, he has decided to go home.
"Many of my friends had decided to stay back after the university cancelled exams and announced winter vacations. But the situation is such that we cannot stay here. The protests are raging out even today and we do not know when they might escalate. It is better we go home," he said.
Another student's parents were so scared that they asked her to leave for her local guardian's home and said they will come and pick her up from there.
"My parents kept asking me yesterday whether there was any firing in the university and any students were killed. Even though I told them they are all rumours, they were scared for my safety. On Sunday night, they asked me to vacate the hostel and head to the home of my local guardian. They will be coming to Delhi to take me back home," she said.
Mariyam Akhtar said her parents came to pick her up on Monday morning after the situation turned tense on Monday.
"I was in my hostel when the police entered the campus. My parents came to take me back home," she said.
The situation in Jamia Millia Islamia, which witnessed protests against the amended Citizenship Act, remained tense Monday morning.
Some students, however, chose to stay at the varsity.
"This university is my second home. How can I leave it when it is in the middle of a crisis," said a student. Another student said he is preparing for competitive exams and has to take coaching also.
"It is not possible for me to go back home. My preparation would be affected," he said.
The university had turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and also used force, following protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which led to violence and arson.
The varsity's vice-chancellor assured that they will provide assistance to students who want to go back home.
She said that the students, who want to go back can contact the administration officials, and the administration, will facilitate it.
The varsity had declared winter vacation from Saturday till January 5 and even postponed the exams.