Midnight protests erupted in Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University and Hyderabad over the police crackdown on students of Jamia Milia Islamia after protests against Citizenship Act turned violent on Sunday.
Hundreds of students protested outside the Delhi Police Headquarters till around 3:30 am and demanded immediate release of detained students. The protesters dispersed only after the police released 50 Jamia students.
The protests also continued in Jamia Milia Campus which has been at the centre of agitation against the amended Citizenship Act.
The Delhi protests had a spillover effect in Aligarh Muslim University where violent clashes erupted between students and police. The students of the AMU were protesting against the police crackdown in Jamia campus, but the agitation took a violent turn and the police resorted to lathicharge and teargas shelling. At least 60 students were injured in the police action.
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Registrar Abdul Hamid said the police entered the campus late Sunday night and clashes were reported from inside. "Hostels are being evacuated," he said.
Following the clashes, the administration issued a notification to shut the university till January 5, 2020. According to the administration, the schedule for examination will be notified later.
Protests also erupted on the campus of Moulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in Hyderabad on Sunday night against the police 'brutality' on students of the Jamia Millia Islamia and the Aligarh Muslim University.
Dozens of students of the country's only Urdu university gathered on the campus around midnight and raised slogans against the police action on Jamia and AMU campuses. They expressed solidarity with the students of the two universities and demanded action against the policemen who entered the campuses and resorted to baton-charge on students.
With the flash protest by students, the university authorities and the police geared up to prevent any untoward incident. The students have reportedly decided to boycott the semester examinations, scheduled to begin on Monday.
(With agency inputs)
