AMU shuts after violent clashes between students

Members of the two groups opened fire and pelted bricks in the university campus on Friday night.

"The AMU has been closed sine die in the early hours of today following a faction feud between two groups," AMU spokesman Rahat Abrar said.

Police sources said that nearly 12 people have been injured in the clash and six of them have received pellet injuries.

The trigger for the clashes was a scuffle between some students who had gone to the University Controller of Examinations on Thursday to point out some irregularities.

Student leader Mushtaq Ahmed said, "The main clash took place on Friday evening when a group of students had gone to the university proctor's office to file a complaint regarding a clash between two rival factions near Zakaria market adjoining the university campus".

Mushtaq, who was the convenor of the student action committee which earlier played a key role in the restoration of the AMU students union, alleged that while one group of students was entering the proctor's office, unprovoked firing was triggered off by some unruly elements, who were "present at the proctor's office ".

Abrar said the authorities had issued orders to the students to vacate all hostels within the next 48 hours. The decision to close the university was taken on the basis of a report by the district administration; authorities fear that the situation could worsen if strong precautionary measures are not taken, he said.

Demanding a probe into the incident, Mushtaq said all student leaders are trying their best to restore complete normalcy at the campus so that the entire exam schedule and academic calendar is not completely thrown out of gear.

The main university exams are scheduled for next week.

Former secretary of AMU teachers association Jamshed Siddiqi said, "The violence is a result of the complete moral failure of the entire university administration. We have demanded immediate action against officials responsible for this incident".

Wasim Ahmed, former Rajya Sabha member and present member of the AMU court, has demanded the immediate removal of the present AMU administration, including the vice chancellor, blaming them for the present crisis.

Ahmed said Friday's incident marks a total breakdown of law and order at the campus and the central government should no longer remain a mute spectator to "wrong doings which have been going on at the campus since the last few years".