Jamia Millia Islamia has reported extensive damage to campus gates, boundary walls and security infrastructure following overnight vandalism on October 27, as a student hunger strike over the restoration of the university students’ union entered its 17th day. The university has shifted classes online until November 8, while negotiations over student demands remain unresolved.
In a press release issued on October 28, Jamia said its proctorial team and teachers found damage to university gates and walls after receiving reports of attacks across the campus. The administration said Gate No. 4 C had been brought down, stones had been thrown, and the CCTV control room, cameras and their connections had been damaged.
The university attributed the destruction to groups of protesting students and local residents. It also said a group of masked protesters had reached the boys’ hostels in an attempt to mobilise additional support. According to the administration, videos, CCTV footage and social media posts indicated that heavy iron rods, hammers and other tools were used during the incident. The claims were made in the university’s official statement and were not independently verified in the report.
Jamia also alleged that women faculty members, wardens and provosts were threatened when they tried to reason with female protesters. The administration said the latest incident followed a week in which university gates and boundary walls had repeatedly been scaled, damaged or broken. It described the scale and speed of the October 27 destruction as a serious security concern for students, faculty members and non-teaching staff.
The damage has occurred alongside negotiations over the restoration of the students’ union. Students on hunger strike have demanded that a draft for the union be prepared and approved by December 20, followed by the announcement of election dates within 15 days and completion of the election process by February 5, 2027. The students have insisted on receiving the commitments in writing. The report said three students—Abin, Rehan and Abuzar—were on hunger strike.
The university said its 106th Foundation Day programme and the associated educational fair had been cancelled. A senior university official quoted in the report said the foundation-day programme had not been cancelled in more than a century, except during circumstances such as the Covid-19 period. Preparations had been under way for a four-day programme this year, while the previous year’s event lasted six days.
The campus disruption has also drawn police action, with NSUI’s Jamia president Faizan reportedly taken into custody near the university. Discussion about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visiting Jamia was reported, but he had not arrived by the evening covered in the report. Jamia’s online-class arrangement, announced on October 24, remains scheduled to continue until November 8. The next developments will depend on the administration-student dialogue and any formal action over the reported damage and security breaches.
