Two groups of students clashed on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus on Tuesday after a protest against an alleged attack on a television news channel team, including two women reporters, university and police officials said.
The channel team members were allegedly attacked over live coverage of a meeting where political parties were invited to talk about representation of Muslims in the electoral process.
Superintendent of police, City, Ashutosh Dwivedi said, “Two student groups clashed on the university campus and one of them sat on dharna (sit-in) seeking action against those who attacked them. However, the other group alleged that some outsiders were participating in the agitation and should be removed. At this, the clash erupted.”
“Firing also took place and a bullet hit the car of BJP Yuva Morcha president Mukesh Lodhi who has filed an FIR against a dozen people, including office bearers of the AMU Students’ Union and other students,” the SP City added. Aligarh district magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh reached the spot and said vigil was being kept on the city.
Following the incident, Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed at AMU circle by Tuesday evening.
{{/usCountry}}Following the incident, Rapid Action Force personnel were deployed at AMU circle by Tuesday evening.
{{/usCountry}}The students’ group staging the sit-in in support of the journalists was also protesting against an invitation to AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, who did not turn up for the meeting.
The woman reporter of the news channel lodged an FIR at the Aligarh Civil Lines police station against an AMU security officer and university students for misbehaviour. In her FIR, she alleged that a camera was looted during the attack. A case was registered under section 392, 354, 504 and 147 of IPC on the complaint.
Aligarh Muslim University spokesperson Shafey Kidwai said trouble began when a news channel team, comprising two women reporters and a cameraperson, entered the university campus without permission from authorities when the AMU Students Union was organising a programme.
As Proctor Office officials and some students objected to the journalists reporting live, the cameraperson started misbehaving with the Proctor Office staff, he said.
The proctorial staff escorted the two journalists and their team outside the campus, stated a press statement issued by the public relations office of AMU.
“The AMU administration has sent applications to lodge two separate FIRs regarding the incident. A few students tried to take the advantage of the situation and raised some objectionable slogans that provoked the other students. The situation was normalised by timely intervention of the university administration,” Kidwai said.