In a shocking and deeply concerning development, reportedly over 14 to 20 students of Jamia Millia Islamia have been allegedly missing since early morning of today, February 13.
They were last seen being forcibly detained by the Delhi Police in the dead of night, with no information on their whereabouts since.
Families, friends, and student bodies remain in the dark, as police officials refuse to disclose where these students have been taken.
The detained students had been participating in a peaceful sit-in protest within the university campus, demanding the revocation of disciplinary action notices issued against them and the removal of the undemocratic campus laws.
However, in an alarming turn of events, unidentified police personnel, allegedly assisted by university administration officials, conducted a forceful crackdown around 5.00 am, detaining students, including several women, without explanation or legal justification.
According to Sakhi, President of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) Jamia unit, the students were handed over to the Delhi Police by the university’s proctoral staff. “Those inside the campus remained overnight, continuing the sit-in protest. Around 5 am, I received a call that 20 students had been taken by the police under pressure from the proctoral staff. Since then, there has been complete radio silence on their whereabouts,” she said.
Repeated attempts to contact local police stations have led to disturbing responses. “No Station House Officer (SHO) or police officer is confirming their location. A few have outright denied having the students in their custody,” Sakhi added.
This lack of transparency raises serious concerns about the safety of these students and the legality of their detention.
Earlier this morning, the Jamia Millia Islamia administration released an official statement.
The university stated that the protesting students had been unlawfully occupying the academic block since February 10, disrupting classes, preventing other students from accessing the Central Library and vandalising university property, including the central canteen, and had broken the gate of the security advisor.
The statement mentioned that despite repeated offers to discuss their demands through a committee, the students refused to engage in dialogue with university officials. The administration called the police intervention a preventive measure to restore normalcy on campus.
Additionally, the university administration had sent suspension letters via email to several student leaders late last night. The letters allegedly cite vague and unfounded allegations, such as ‘disobeying teachers’ and ‘engaging in unbecoming conduct.’
Students claim these suspensions are a direct attempt to stifle dissent. “The accusations are completely baseless. They even accused me of leading a rowdy crowd in a fight on February 11, but that incident happened at Gate No 8, while we were peacefully protesting at Gate No 7,” Sakhi pointed out.
“Also, we were the ones who were appealing for peace even though these fights seemed orchestrated by the admin,” she added.
The procedural lapses in these disciplinary actions are glaring.
Students like Sakhi were neither given a show cause notice nor summoned before the disciplinary committee. The blanket suspension, using identical wording for all students, further reinforces claims that the administration is targeting select individuals to dismantle student-led movements.
What remains most alarming, however, is the eerie silence surrounding the missing students, they say.
As outrage builds within student and activist circles, calls for the immediate release of the detained students are growing louder. Students claim that this is nothing but an attempt to intimidate students into silence and crush dissent.
While the campus remains tense, the protest site has been completely cleared out. The once-active central canteen area, where students gathered in solidarity, now bears no sign of the movement that was forcibly erased overnight. Students demand answers and seek justice.
