The Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) of Lucknow, on Wednesday, December 28, expressed its deep concern over the deteriorating law and order situation on the AMU campus after a brutal attack on a few Kashmiri students on Sunday, December 25. Two students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) — a PhD scholar hailing from Kashmir and another student from Ghazipur in UP — got into a brawl over a game of badminton past Saturday at midnight, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
On Sunday, the Kashmiri students staged a protest and closed the centenary gate of the AMU. The Kashmiri students alleged that they were manhandled despite lodging a peaceful protest on campus. However, former CM of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, pitched in on Monday, December 26, and complained of inaction against hooligans harassing Kashmiri students on the university campus.
On Tuesday, December 27, a purported video showing Kashmiri students being attacked by a group of men, allegedly non-Kashmiri students of the university, went viral on social media. In the clip, one of the attackers was seen brandishing a pistol. Consequently, the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) of AMU wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a thorough probe into the issue. A delegation of the Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), led by Nasir Khuehami, KJSA's national convenor, also met Aligarh BJP MP Satish Gautam demanding "safety and security."
Political intervention
While condemning the alleged attack on Kashmiri students on AMU campus, the BJP MP sought the university administration to get a combing operation done to trace the presence of illegal arms on the campus. He expressed solidarity with the Kashmiri students and blamed the vice-chancellor for failing to manage varsity affairs. "I have seen the viral video and reiterate my demand for a proper search on AMU campus to find the illegal arms if present. I condemn the attack on Kashmiri students and assure all help to Jammu and Kashmir Student Association," said BJP MP from Aligarh Satish Gautam who said that he had taken up the matter with the AMU registrar, SSP and SP Aligarh to identify the armed student and take suitable action, as reported by The New Indian Express.
AMU to constitute fact-finding committee
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, December 27, a group of Kashmiri students met AMU registrar Mohd Imran, an IPS officer on deputation with the university. The student leaders, later, claimed that the university authorities had assured them to constitute a fact-finding committee to trace the guilty and take action against them.
Reacting to the BJP MP's demand, officiating Vice-Chancellor Prof Syed Ali Nawaz Zaidi said that he had also seen the video going viral on social media with a person carrying a firearm but it was tough to identify him and to ascertain if he was an AMU student. Meanwhile, in Lucknow, Prof (Dr) Shakeel Ahmad Qidwai, President of AMUOBA, expressed serious concern over the deteriorating law and order conditions on AMU campus. He said that it was all the more disturbing that the students had to approach Aligarh MP for justice instead of the University administration. "It means students have lost faith in the university administration," said Qidwa, as reported by The New Indian Express.
