Kamal Tiwaree, a first-year student of MA Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi tried to set himself on fire during protests to reopen the varsity on February 8. Delhi Police took him into custody shortly.
Kamal, an activist from CYSS, the youth wing of the Aam Aadmi Party, attempted to set himself ablaze by pouring petrol all over his body. But he failed. Videos of him being led aside by the Delhi Police are doing rounds on social media. Students from various organisations had come together to demand the reopening of the DU campuses after the DDMA had allowed reopening of all educational institutions. The students alleged that they were assaulted on the night of February 7 while protesting in front of the VC's office. "We were trying to bring in blankets to spend the cold night here but we have been manhandled by male officers brutally," said Prachi, one of the women who were allegedly assaulted.
A Chakka Jam occupying the Chhatra Marg was called by the SFI and other student organisations on February 8 to protest "against the police and administration brutality faced by the students". "The DU VC and administration have repeatedly said that it will take them a lot of time to work on reopening, but it is visible that to assault students and curb their voice, they are always ready and prepared. If this can be done to curb the voices of the students, why not the same be done to reopen our campuses?", asked Sachin Singal, SFI North Area Committee co-convenor and a student of Ramjas College.
