Student's death: Violence for AMU to shut

The killing of an Aligarh Muslim University student sparked widespread violence in the campus on Monday with protesters ransacking several offices and setting afire the vice-chancellor's residence leading to indefinite closure of the institution.

Enraged over the killing of Mazhar Naeem late on Sunday night, hundreds of students went on the rampage in the varsity and set ablaze Vice-Chancellor P K Abdul Aziz's residence.

He, however, was not present in his house when it was attacked, AMU spokesman Rahat Abrar said.

The protesters also ransacked the AMU staff club and the Proctor's office causing extensive damage to property.

Rapid Action Force and PAC personnel were deployed in the campus to maintain order, the spokesman said adding the situation was tense but under control.

Naeem, an engineering student, was attacked and injured near his hostel by some unidentified people.

He was rushed to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College where he was declared brought dead.

The spokesman said the motive behind the killing was yet to be ascertained. University authorities sought a judicial inquiry into the violence and vandalism and asked students to vacate hostels within 48 hours.

The spokesman said an emergency meeting of the AMU Executive Council took the decision to close the varsity sine die.

It also decided to recommend a high-level probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into the violence in the campus in the recent past.

The AMU will also urge the Centre to order a CBI probe into the killings on the campus since April last, the spokesman said.