New Delhi [India]: The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on Wednesday condemned the ruckus that took place during Diwali celebrations, calling it a “sponsored incident” involving outside elements.
The university, in an official statement, expressed concerns over deliberate attempts to disturb the peaceful environment of the campus. JMI has lodged a formal complaint at the Jamia Nagar Police Station
“The incident appears to be a completely sponsored one, and there seems to be involvement of some outside elements with an attempt to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the university,” the statement read.
The university said it had granted students conditional permission to celebrate Diwali, and festivities proceeded smoothly until around 7:30 pm, when unidentified individuals began sloganeering.
The university added that these outside elements were responsible for instigating the disturbance, which eventually led to some students joining in “a fit of rage.”
JMI has lodged a formal complaint at the Jamia Nagar Police Station and is reviewing CCTV footage to identify those involved. “The accused are being identified through CCTV footage and internal sources for taking appropriate action against them,” the statement confirmed.
Highlighting Jamia’s history, the university said, “Jamia Millia Islamia is an important center of Ganga-Jamuni culture, and every year, people of all religions celebrate festivals here happily.”
The scuffle, which erupted near Gate 7 around 7:30 p.m., reportedly involved a clash between two student groups over the nature of the event.
The clash reportedly began when ABVP-affiliated students were setting up diyas and rangolis for Diwali celebrations. However, a second group of students disrupted the decorations, leading to a heated altercation.
A video of the altercation has since gone viral on social media, showing students engaged in a verbal spat as security personnel tried to defuse the situation.