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Will file FIR against police, says Jamia Millia V-C
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
A day after police entered the varsity campus, beat up students and damaged university property following a clash with protesters, Jamia Millia Islamia university vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar said they would register an FIR against police personnel over the violence.
“The library buildings and furniture were badly damaged along with other equipment. Who will pay for these? Besides, the emotional state of students was damaged and it cannot be compensated. How can police enter a central university campus without permission and break things?” Akhtar said at a press conference on Monday after the university’s Executive Council (EC) meeting.
On Sunday night, the V-C had said the police “might not have gotten the time to seek the varsity’s permission to enter the campus in the chaos.”
Akhtar also said while the university won’t comment on what the police did during Sunday’s protest outside the campus where buses were torched, they had strong objections to how they entered the campus without asking university officials.
“We were waiting that they would approach us for some kind of assistance, but they did not,” Akhtar said.
“We are assessing the damage and will approach the ministry of human resource development to form a committee for an inquiry into this matter. Police barging into the campus and beating students studying in libraries is unacceptable.” She said she had met HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal and Higher Education secretary Amit Khare on the issue and the university would submit its report on the matter soon.
Jamia Millia’s registrar, proctor, and media coordination officer said the university was caught in a “war-like situation” as protesters continued to clash with the police on Sunday and the situation was tough to control.
“The university administration has resolved to register an FIR against unidentified police personnel who indulged in violence and vandalism on campus,” Akhtar said.
The V-C said her officials had been working round the clock to help injured students with medical assistance.
Dismissing rumours of forced evacuation from hostels, Akhtar said that though students were being advised and facilitated to leave hostels, they weren’t being forced.
Taking stock of Friday’s protests, the university had decided to advanced the winter vacations to Monday from December 24. “We wanted the safety our children so we had declared an earlier vacation,” said Akhtar.
“After yesterday, we realised anything could happen on campus. We couldn’t save them in the library. So it would be better for students to return to their homes,” she said.
Contrary to rumours, Akhtar said no student had died in the clashes. However, 200 students were injured in violent clashes with police.
Police said they had to go for lathicharge as the protesting crowd was approaching Ring Road and marching towards New Delhi.
