Firing incident on AMU campus leaves 3 injured

Case registered at Aligarh’s Civil Lines police station against 15 named accused under sections 147, 148, 149 and 307 of the IPC; police attribute the incident to a “fight for dominance” on the campus

AGRA Three youths sustained injuries in a shooting incident at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) after a fight between two rival groups on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday, said officials.

The three injured persons were undergoing treatment at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and stated to be stable, said police. (Pic for representation)

A case was registered at Aligarh’s Civil Lines police station against 15 named accused under sections 147, 148, 149 and 307 of the IPC. The three injured persons were undergoing treatment at the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and stated to be stable, said police.

A clash took place between two groups at BM Hall. Subsequently, a group of armed youths barged into SS Hall (North) where a gunfight ensued and three youths were shot and wounded.

In-charge of the Civil Lines police station Vijay Singh confirmed the firing incident on the AMU campus. The police attributed the incident to a “fight for dominance on the university campus.” Investigation was on and required action would be taken in due course of time, he said.

In the FIR, Mohd Babar, a resident of Aligarh, stated that he along with his friends Sadiq Ali, Firoz and Abdullah were in conversation at SS Hall of AMU on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday when the named accused, including Akram Tippa and 14 others, attacked them.

“The accused had old enmity with us and were in possession of arms including pistol and ‘tamanchaa’ (country-made pistol). They opened fire on us injuring Sadiq Ali, Firoz and Abdullah,” alleged Babar.

Amongst the three injured, Sadiq Ali was a former student of AMU and had completed the BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medical Sciences) course while the others were locals of Aligarh.

“A case was registered under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with arms), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC after the group at BM Hall of AMU reached SS Hall (North) at midnight,” stated Singh.

However, the AMU administration distanced itself from the firing incident stating that none amongst those injured and none named in the FIR, barring one, were students of AMU.

“None amongst the injured are students of AMU and none amongst those named in the FIR barring one are students of AMU. The situation is peaceful on the university campus,” stated Prof Mohd Wasim Ali, proctor of AMU.

“It is a matter of concern that the incident took place in the hall (hostel) of AMU and stern measures are being taken to ensure such incidents are not repeated,” said the proctor.

Prior to this incident, unrest was already brewing among the students on Monday due to a venomous snakebite sustained by an class 11 student at AMU. The student’s condition was serious, necessitating an urgent transfer to a medical facility in Delhi for specialised treatment.

Students staged a protest against the incident, seeking resignation of the provost of Allama Iqbal Hall on the AMU campus.