New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar on Thursday interacted with the students injured during police crackdown at the campus and assured them that the university would bear their medical expenses.
Through a video call, she spoke to Ajaz, who is undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital, and interacted with Mohammed Minhajuddin, who lost sight in his left eye, in a lathicharge by police on Sunday.
According to an official of the university, Akhtar wanted to go and meet the injured students but could not do so due to closure of some stretches around Jamia Millia.
“She spoke to 10 students, who were injured on Sunday, and assured them that the university will bear all expenses of their treatment,” the official said.
The university, in a statement, said it discourages any effort by any organisation to collect donations in its name as it has sufficient resources to extend all medical assistance to its students.
“Taking note of the appeal by certain sections for voluntary donations/ contributions to help the students of Jamia Millia Islamia affected by police action in the campus, the university has clarified that it has made no such request,” the statement read.
On Tuesday, the university filed a complaint against the “illegal entry of policemen” in the campus and their attack on students.
University officials had to mail the complaint as it was not accepted by the police when they went to Jamia Nagar police station to hand it over, sources claimed.
In the complaint, the university said a protest was organised by residents of the colonies around Jamia against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Their procession on the MA Jauhar Marg was stopped by the police which led to a showdown between them.
“In the lathicharge that ensued, a large number of policemen forcibly entered the Jamia campus through gate number four and seven, and started mercilessly beating the students both boys and girls,” it said.
“Many students of the university received serious injuries and were being treated at hospitals,” the university said in its complaint.
The complaint also stated that “some unruly policemen broke open the main library gate and the glass doors of the library building, and fired teargas shells on students”.
“The unprovoked and brutal action of the policemen caused grave loss/damage to the government property belonging to the university,” the complaint read.
The university officials urged the police to register an FIR and take action against the erring policemen.
Also read: Jamia students’ protest was peaceful, violence started ‘after local residents entered university’