Jamia crackdown: Pune students' groups seek judicial probe

Several students and youth organisations on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Pune district collector demanding a judicial probe into the police action on students in Delhi and Aligarh, a day after staging a protest at the Savitribai Phule Pune University campus here.

These students' groups also protested and shouted slogans condemning the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) episodes as well as the amended Citizenship Act.

"We condemn the state-sponsored act of brutality by the police against the peaceful protesting students in JMI, AMU and other campuses across the country," the memorandum stated.

It soughtan independent judicial probe of these incidents and action against errant police personnel, as well as non-police personnel involved.

Demanding safety and security at educational campuses nationwide, the memorandum called for immediate revocation of the amended Citizenship Act as well as dropping of plans to carry out the National Register of Citizens exercise across the country.

The petition was submitted to Collector Naval Kishore Ram, said Yuvak Kranti Dal member Sandip Barve on Tuesday.

Over 300 students and citizens had staged a protest on the Pune varsity (SPPU) campus on Monday evening.

Students from various SPPU-affiliated colleges and members of organisations such as National Students Union of India (NSUI), Students Federation of India (SFI) and Yuvak Kranti Dal had taken part in the protest.

The Delhi-based JMI virtually turned into a battlefield on Sunday after police entered the campus and also used force, following protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The police action had a ripple effect with students from many educational institutions and universities across the country holding protests in solidarity.