Congress MP Imran Masood was detained near Gate No. 7 of Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi on Friday night as protests over the restoration of the university’s student union continued on campus, according to a report by Jagran – New Delhi.
Delhi Police took Masood into custody at around 8:50 pm and brought him to Sarita Vihar police station, the report said. The reason for the action and the police’s official position were not clear at the time of publication.
The detention came amid demonstrations by Jamia students seeking the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union, or JMISU, which has reportedly remained suspended since 2006. The protesting students are also demanding the withdrawal of disciplinary action taken against students involved in the ongoing demonstrations.
Masood had written to Jamia Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif seeking the restoration of the student union and the withdrawal of disciplinary action against the protesting students. His presence near the university gate and subsequent detention linked the political intervention to a dispute that has been unfolding on the campus for several days.
The protests have included a hunger strike by students. According to the report, a seven-member high-level committee has been formed to consider the students’ demands. Another related development involved the removal of students who were sitting on hunger strike, after which protests and disruption were reported on the campus.
The immediate episode places the university’s internal dispute alongside questions about how public authorities manage demonstrations involving students, elected representatives and a centrally located educational institution. The available report does not establish whether Masood was detained under a specific legal provision, whether formal charges were recorded, or how long he remained at the Sarita Vihar police station.
It also does not contain a response from the Delhi Police explaining the circumstances of the detention. That missing official account is significant because the police action occurred in a public area near a university gate rather than being described only as an internal disciplinary measure by the institution.
Jamia’s student union issue has remained unresolved for nearly two decades, according to the report. The current protests therefore combine an immediate demand for the restoration of student representation with opposition to disciplinary action against students. The formation of the seven-member committee indicates that the university has begun a formal process to examine the demands, although the report does not specify the committee’s deadline, members or recommendations.
The next developments are expected to centre on the police’s explanation for detaining Masood, the status of the Congress MP after he was taken to Sarita Vihar police station, and the response of the university committee to the students’ demands.
