After a night of unprecedented violence on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus in the national capital, Uttar Pradesh was put on a high alert.
Protests have already been witnessed across the state over the killing of top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad and the attack on Nankana Saheb Gurdwara in Pakistan. Besides, resentment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act is yet to die down completely.
Top UP Police brass directed the district police chiefs to be alert and closely monitor activities on campuses of educational institutions across the state.
Most universities and educational institutions, barring Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) which has been closed of indefinite period, were scheduled to open on Monday.
The AMU has particularly been in the eye of storm as it witnessed protests against police action on students of Jamia Millia Islamia university in Delhi last month.
Student-related trouble was also continuing in Allahabad University where the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Ratan Lal Hangloo, was forced to resign four days ago. The proctor and public relations officer of the university also resigned.
A top police official said on Monday, “It has become a very dangerous cauldron of community politics. In almost every district we are facing discontent over multiple issues. The resentment over the CAA is continuing. Shia Muslims are restive over the killing of the Iranian military commander and Sikhs are piqued at the attack on Nankana Saheb Gurudwara in Pakistan. Students are also upset over recent action against anti-CAA protesters. The situation is, undoubtedly, volatile at present.”
Meanwhile, Director General of Police OP Singh said, “We are stepping up vigilance and have asked all district police chiefs to remain on high alert in view of the prevailing situation.”
On Sunday night, several masked individuals, male and female, thrashed students, including girls, and teachers on the JNU campus with wooden and metal rods, injuring many.
While the number of the injured in the various clashes which occurred through the day was not yet known, at least 20 students were admitted to the AIIMS with severe injuries, including JNU Students Union chief Aishe Ghosh, who was reportedly hit on the head with an iron rod.
A report from Aligarh said that AMU students took out a peaceful candlelight march on Sunday night to protest the JNU violence and demanded that the masked miscreants who vandalised property and attacked students be arrested. The march was held inside the AMU premises and ended at Bab-e-Syed gate.
The AMU Teachers’ Association (AMUTA), too, released a statement urging Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde to take suo motu cognisance of the “unprecedented situation” arising from Sunday’s assault on JNU students and teachers.
Aligarh’s Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari said that police have been deployed at sensitive points all around the AMU campus as a precautionary measure.