AMU Students Demand Review of Cases Filed for Dec 15 Campus Violence

Aligarh (UP): Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students have demanded a reinvestigation into the December 15 campus violence during an anti-CAA protest and a review of the cases filed against some of them in a week after that, saying they were booked on "flippant grounds".

Protests had broken out against the Citizenship Amendment Act on the campus in which over 70 people, including students, AMU security staff and police personnel were injured. The university had to announce an extended winter break following the clashes.

The clashes started after an agitation by Jamia Millia Islamia students in Delhi against the amended citizenship law saw violence. A number of AMU students were charged with rioting and causing damage to public property.

On Wednesday, a group of student leaders, accompanied by university officials, met the Additional Director General of Police Ajay Anand in Agra to demand a review of the cases.

The student leaders said in a statement a number of "innocent students" were booked on "flippant grounds" like their two-wheelers were parked inside the campus on the night of the violence. They said in a memorandum to the ADG that almost all the students booked "have no criminal record" and pursuing cases on the basis of "wild charges" would damage their careers.

"We demand reinvestigation of the incident that took place on December 15 in which a large number of students were injured and some students are facing false allegations. Charges should be framed after reinvestigation," the memorandum said.

A spokesman of the student leaders said they had fully cooperated with the authorities in restoring normalcy and reopening the university in February after they were "given an assurance by the authorities that all false cases would be withdrawn and action would be taken against those policemen who had indulged in violence inside hostels leading to serious injuries to at least half a dozen students".

He said the ADG "assured the students" that he would visit Aligarh next week, hold a meeting with AMU authorities and students and take steps to address their concerns.

When contacted AMU spokesman Omar Peerzada confirmed that some top university officials led by Registrar Abdul Hamid accompanied the delegation and met the ADG.

He said the discussions were "fruitful".