14 students at Jamia detained for protest against disciplinary action

The students were protesting against show-cause notices sent to participants of a December 2024 demonstration marking the anniversary of CAA protests and alleged police brutality on campus in 2019.

Fourteen students from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) were detained by the Delhi Police early on Thursday, three days into a protest against show-cause notices handed to some students by the university. The alleged showdown took place around five hours after six students were suspended by the varsity for “vandalising” university property.

Security heightened outside the Jamia Millia Islamia university on Thursday after several students staged protests and vandalised property over the varsity’s disciplinary action against two PhD scholars. (ANI Photo)

The JMI administration, in a statement, accused protesters of “vandalising university property including the central canteen, breaking the gate of the security advisor’s (office), defacing walls, and carrying contraband objects.”

It said the students were removed as a preventive measure, and police were asked to maintain order. “Taking preventive measures, today morning the university administration and the Proctorial team removed the students from the site of the protest, and they have been evicted from the campus. The police have been requested to maintain law and order situation,” it said.

The university claimed police personnel did not enter the campus.

On Thursday evening, security guards stationed outside Gate 7 checked identity cards, allowing only authorised students inside.

At least three students that HT spoke to alleged that their phones were snatched by police personnel, and that they were manhandled at different police stations – Bawana, Badarpur and Fatehpur Beri.

Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Ravi Kumar Singh said that the university administration informed them regarding the students after which police reached the university. “The administration brought the students outside the university. They were handed over to the police. A total of 14 students were then taken to three different police stations where they were detained and released after verification,” he said.

The police, however, denied allegations of mistreatment made by the students.

The students were protesting against show-cause notices sent to participants of a December 2024 demonstration marking the anniversary of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests and alleged police brutality on campus in 2019.

Uthara UR, a 22-year-old MA Sociology student, was among those detained.

“Our protest was peaceful, and against the systematic suppression of students’ voice by the university administration. I was asleep at 5.30am at the protest site near the central canteen when security guards carried me out by force,” she said, adding that police confiscated their phones and prevented them from making calls.

The detentions lasted nine hours, with students released by 3pm.

A JMI statement said the protesters had unlawfully gathered since February 10, disrupting classes and blocking access to the Central Library during mid-semester exams.

“A handful of students called for a protest, unlawfully gathering in the academic block since the evening of 10 Feb 2025. Since then, they have not only disturbed the peaceful conduct of classes in the academic block of the university but also prevented other students from accessing the Central Library and attending classes at a time when mid-semester exams are about to begin at JMI campus.”

The suspension letter to one of the students, seen by HT, said, “You were identified as leading an unruly and rowdy group of individuals to vandalise and deface the university’s property... During these protest(s), you and others defaced university property by painting abusive and defamatory slogans on the walls and damaging the university property...”

The letter further mentioned, “You are suspended with immediate effect… The university reserves the right to pursue legal action against you.”

Saurabh, a 27-year-old PhD student, said he received his suspension notice at 12.10am and was detained at around 5.30-6am. He said students were taken in police vans to separate stations.

Another JMI student, asking not to be named, said tensions began in December 2024 when leftist student groups organised a candlelight march commemorating the 2019 CAA protests. The administration responded by issuing show-cause notices, sparking the ongoing demonstrations. “The university sent show cause notices to the students who had taken part in that march. We wanted the university to take back the notices. The protest since Monday was was also about the repressive attitude of the administration in a place like JMI, which has always been the epicentre of such movements,” the student added.

Students from leftist groups, including the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and All India Students’ Association (AISA), said the protest had been peaceful, with students sitting silently near the central canteen. After the detained students were released, hundreds gathered Thursday evening to continue demonstrations, demanding the withdrawal of all disciplinary actions within 24 hours.

“This day will go down in Jamia’s history as a day of both shame and resistance,” AISA said in a statement.