After photos of a First Information Report (FIR) against 10,000 unidentified Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students went viral, District SSP Akash Kulhari told news agency ANI that the FIR was actually against 1,000 students and that the earlier figure of 10,000 had been a ‘clerical error.’
Earlier, authorities at the turbulent Aligarh Muslim University on Saturday, 28 December, told The Quint that they were not aware of reports claiming that the Uttar Pradesh police had registered an FIR against 10,000 unidentified students in connection with clashes that erupted between students and cops, over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
According to a copy of the FIR available with The Quint, the UP Police had booked 10,000 unidentified students under Sections 147 (rioting),153 (intent to cause riot), 332 ( voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), Section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act.
What Had Happened at AMU?
Unrest had prevailed at the varsity on 15 December, following rumours of a student having died in the clashes with the police at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia. As protesters gathered at AMU, the university administration called in the police, which fired tear-gas shells to disperse the crowd.
During this clash between the police and the students, a PhD scholar sustained injuries that led him to lose his hand. Students allege that a tear-gas shell fired by the UP Police had exploded in his hand.
The clashes left several police personnel and students injured, sparking a wider row on state action against student protesters across the country.
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