There were clashes between students and security personnel, leading to vandalism and arson.
University Clashes occurred on Monday between students and college security. The clashes led to violence, arson, and destruction of property, during which several students and security guards were injured. The violence led to the security guards firing several rounds of shots into the air. Nobody was injured due to the bullet fire.
The inciting incident At Allahabad Central University
The issues started when security guards prevented a student from entering the college campus in order to access a bank on campus. The student was a student leader.
This led to a scuffle that several more students got involved in and also more guards got involved. The incident soon got out of control and students began pelting stones at the security guards and then they lit two bikes on fire. Several other vehicles parked nearby were also vandalized.
The police got involved to get the situation under control. They were able to calm the situation down after a few hours.
A video is circulating on social media that shows the students throwing rocks at the security guards. It has gone viral. The video also shows the students throwing stones at the policemen who had been called to calm the situation down.
The situation is now in hand, said the police. “We will speak with the student body and resolve the issue. Two bikes were set alight, but the fire brigade has now brought it under control,” Prayagraj Police Commissioner Ramit Sharma told reporters.
The root cause in Allahabad Central University
The students of Allahabad university have been peacefully agitating for months prior to this incident. The agitations have been regarding a fee hike from the university that the students deemed unfair and too high. However, Allahabad University has been standing behind its decision, stating that it will not rescind its fee hike.
Meetings and discussions between the student body and university officials have proven to be inconclusive and have gone nowhere.
Students that are dissatisfied have tried various ways of protest. A section of students attempted to try “Thu-samadhi” (burying themselves alive on the earth voluntarily) to push their demands. A different group of students is constantly on a relay hunger strike.
Jaya Kapoor, Allahabad Central University’s spokesperson, said that some disruptive elements tried to break open the lock of the university gate and assaulted the security guards. Then the “miscreants vandalized and set fire on the premises, due to which an atmosphere of fear and anarchy prevailed on the campus,” Ms Kapoor said.
“The miscreants are not a part of the university” she claimed. “They set a motorcycle on fire, broke the glasses of two teachers’ cars, set the generator alight, and then torched the university canteen…It is regrettable that the police had to see this entire incident as a mute spectator. The unruly elements also fired shots in the air,” she said, contrary to police reports that the shots were fired by security guards.
The university will remain shut in response to this incident.
Student leader Ajay Yadav Samrat said that three students had been injured in the clash and were being given medical treatment.
The students protesting against the hike in fees in the university have alleged that the administration is bent on suppressing the students.
