Jamia Millia Islamia students dragged from campus, some suspended and rusticated
Students protesting for the revival of Jamia's student union were forcibly removed from the campus before dawn, leading to suspensions and rustication.
On Saturday morning, security personnel at Jamia Millia Islamia switched off campus lights, seized five students conducting an indefinite hunger strike for the restoration of the student union, and dragged them out before handing them to Delhi Police, who later released them. The protesters, who began their strike on October 12, were subsequently punished: Mohammad Jasim Khan received a six-month suspension, Ebin Basil was rusticated for a full academic year, and Faizan Ali Khan faces ongoing disciplinary charges.
The demonstrators have staged a sit-in outside the campus, demanding the chief proctor step down, the disciplinary orders be withdrawn, and an independent inquiry into the force used. University officials, speaking anonymously, asserted that the guards acted in self-defence, alleging they were assaulted and their clothing torn. The university also defended its current representation system, noting that since 2006 it has held elections for subject-wise associations rather than a central union.
Why it matters
The incident highlights tensions over student representation and campus authority at a major Indian university.
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