2 killed, several injured as students clash at Aligarh Muslim University

Violence broke out between two groups of students at Aligarh Muslim University on the night of Saturday and Sunday, killing two people and injuring several others, while the proctor's office and several vehicles on campus were set ablaze and furniture was destroyed. Students reportedly shot at each other.

The violence finally died down after the police arrested a few of the students and the Rapid Action Force was deployed.

One of the students who was killed had been expelled earlier and died on the spot, while the other succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Sunday, said AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar.

According to the police, the violence began when two student groups disagreed, and the hostel room of a student identified as Mohsin was set on fire at about 11 pm.

When Mohsin went to the proctor's office to complain, members of the opposing group arrived at the proctor's office and began firing at Mohsin and his friends, during which two people were critically injured and taken to the university medical centre. One died there, while the other was taken to hospital in Delhi for treatment, but died later on Sunday, says the Hindustan Times.

Police sources said that the violence spread to the medical college campus, after which they were called in. By then, the two groups had set the proctor's office and several vehicles on fire and were attempting to do the same to the vice chancellor's residence and the guesthouse.

According to Abrar, Mehtab, the M.P.Ed student, had been rusticated. However, Waqif, who died on Sunday, was an outsider. Deputy inspector general (Aligarh range) Govind Agarwal said RAF personnel were called in when the violence escalated.