Delhi Police register FIR against unknown persons in Jamia vandalism case
Delhi Police register FIR against unknown persons in Jamia vandalism case New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The Delhi Police on Thursday lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons in connection with an incident involving vandalism and damage to property at the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), officials said. According to the police, the case has been registered at Jamia Nagar Police Station, on the complaint of the varsity administration.
This is the second FIR registered in connection with the ongoing students’ protests at the university in recent days. Earlier, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR at the Jamia Nagar police station against Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood, as well as Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi, following a complaint by Jamia Millia Islamia registrar Md.
Mahtab Alam Rizvi. Rizvi had alleged that the Congress MPs entered the campus without authorisation on separate occasions, amid the ongoing agitation. Students of the university have been staging a hunger strike since October 12 demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) and the removal of the University’s Chief Proctor over a “crackdown” on protesters.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the university expressed deep shock, disappointment, and concern regarding the incidents that took place on Tuesday night, which involved vandalism and damage to university property. The varsity said that upon receiving reports of attacks on the campus, the proctorial team and JMI faculty members immediately arrived on the spot.
“They discovered that groups of protesting students and local residents had vandalised University gates and walls, brought down Gate No. 4C, pelted stones, and damaged the CCTV control room and cameras, while also severing their connections. It is reported that a group of masked protesters even reached the University’s boys’ hostel in an attempt to mobilise more individuals to join them,” the JMI said in a statement. According to the University, viral social media videos posted by the protesting students themselves show extensive damage inflicted upon JMI property.
“This has left the university community deeply distressed and outraged,” it said. “Most concerning is the fact that the vandalism began shortly after members of the protesting student committee had been in discussions with JMI faculty (this marked the seventh such attempt at dialogue initiated by the university administration),” the University said.
