Tensions flared at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) as students demanding the reinstatement of student union elections stormed the university’s Administrative Block near the Vice-Chancellor’s office. The elections have been suspended for several years, fuelling growing discontent among the student body.
Protesters chanted slogans advocating for AMUSU elections, prompting swift intervention by university security personnel, who prevented the demonstrators from approaching the Vice-Chancellor’s office. Meanwhile, another group of students staged an overnight protest outside the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, blocking entry and escalating tensions.
Senior university officials, including Proctor Mohammad Waseem, intervened to defuse the situation. Waseem assured the students that their demands were being considered and clarified that the matter was under review by the Allahabad High Court. “The administration is addressing the situation with the necessary diligence and responsibility to ensure a peaceful resolution,” he stated.
In the aftermath of the protests, nine current and former students were charged with rioting, wrongful restraint, and other offences. The university also initiated disciplinary action against the individuals involved, accusing them of disrupting university operations and inciting unrest.
Former students Paras Mohammad, Mohd Shoeb, and Mohammad Salman Ali were specifically accused of leading the demonstrations and allegedly surrounding the Vice-Chancellor’s official vehicle, attempting to vandalise it. These three ex-students have been barred from enrolling in any courses for the next five years and prohibited from entering the campus.
Circle Officer Mayank Pathak confirmed that an FIR had been lodged at the Civil Lines police station. The protests have drawn attention to growing dissatisfaction among AMU students over the long-standing suspension of student union elections.
