Clashes Break Out During Diwali Festivities At Jamia Millia Islamia

A scuffle erupted on the Jamia Millia Islamia campus in Delhi on Tuesday night during Diwali celebrations, as two student groups clashed over a rangoli event.

Tensions flared after a viral video surfaced, purportedly showing a group chanting "Palestine Zindabad" while disrupting the Diwali festivities. Allegedly, some individuals from the group attempted to desecrate the rangoli by stepping on it, sparking outrage from members of another group and leading to chaos on the campus.

The exact cause of the altercation is yet to be confirmed, and an official statement from the university and the police is awaited.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with university students, traditionally organizes the Diwali program every year.

The situation was brought under control following police intervention.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Southeast Delhi DCP Ravi Kumar Singh said, "The incident occurred around 7:30-8 pm near gate 7. A group of ABVP-affiliated students was decorating the area with diyas and rangolis for Diwali, which displeased another group. The other group vandalized the decorations, leading to a confrontation and sloganeering from both sides. Police were deployed to maintain order, and they will remain stationed overnight as a precaution. The crowd dispersed by 9 pm."

Oneindia could not independently verify the authenticity of the viral video.