New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia VC Najma Akhtar said Monday the varsity administration will ‘explore the possibility’ of moving court for registration of an FIR against ‘police brutality’ on the campus after hundreds of angry students gheraoed her office demanding action against the Delhi Police.
The vice-chancellor said the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has already begun an inquiry into the December 15 police action and a team from the organisation has visited the university and another will come Tuesday to record the statements of the ‘victims’.
Akhtar’s assurance came in the evening after students broke the lock on the main gate, barged into the office premises and raised slogans against her, demanding that an FIR be registered against the police by January 16.
Akhtar twice tried to pacify the students during the day but they refused to relent. She also said she does not want a deadline to file the FIR against police as she will follow the procedure.
The students on the other hand said if police are not ready to register an FIR, they are ready to march till a cognizance of their complaint is taken.
They also demanded that the VC hold a press conference after an FIR is registered against the police and ensure safety of students on the campus and issue a statement in this regard. An independent SIT probe of the police action should be done and no action should be taken by the administration against students and the FIR filed against students be withdrawn, they added.
When the VC came out to talk to students for the second time in the evening, she agreed to accept their demands but refused to give it in writing.
The university, however, said in a statement the administration will take all possible measures to address the concerns of students. “A decision has also been taken that the administration will explore the possibility of moving court for registration of FIR in the December 15, 2019 police brutality in the university library case at the earliest,” the statement said.
“The university has already followed all possible steps for the registration of FIR. It has given its complaint to SHO Jamia Nagar and its copy to CP Delhi and DCP South East. The University has also written letters to Joint CP Southern Range and DCP Crime for the registration of FIR earlier,” the statement added.
On students’ demand to re-conduct exams, as many of them had boycotted them after the violence, the university said it has accepted the proposal and the ‘ongoing semester exams stand cancelled till further notice’ and a new schedule will be announced later.
As violence over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) flared up, police personnel entered the campus December 15 and cracked down on students.
Saeed Fahad, an architecture student, said FIRs have been registered against those who were demanding their rights during the protest. The real accused are still at large, he said, referring to the police crackdown.
Adil, an engineering student, said not even a single FIR has been filed in connection with last month’s violence. Ragiv Naushad, a law student, said they are not convinced by the VC’s assurance.
“FIR has to be done. Several students got injured during the violence and one lost his eye. What will happen to him? The students are not feeling safe inside the campus since the violence took place,” a woman student, who didn’t wish to be named, said.
PTI