CAA protests: 26 arrested people released

As many as 26 people, including eight students, arrested in connection with the violence at Aligarh Muslim University and surrounding areas have been released even as the situation in the University showed marked signs of improvement on Tuesday, officials said.

The University has been witnessing violent protests over the amended Citizenship Act.

The process of evacuation of hostels at the AMU continued overnight, and according to the latest figures provided by the AMU administration, about 9,500 out of 11,500 inmates have left for home, university officials said.

On Monday night, the police on personal bonds released 26 people, who had been arrested in connection with the violent incidents in the AMU campus.

SSP, Akash Kulhari, told PTI, "Out of these 26 people arrested from the AMU campus on Sunday night, only 8 are students of AMU, while the rest are outsiders."

"In view of the tense situation on the AMU campus and surrounding areas we had approached the DM to release the arrested students as a special case and this was done by the administration," Proctor of AMU Prof Afifullah Khan said.

On Tuesday, there were protests in several parts of the city including the highly-sensitive Upper Court area in the old city.

Till late Monday night, a crowd of 5,000 protestors had collected outside the Kotwali demanding the release of arrested AMU students.

 The protestors were led by a large number of burqa-clad women.

The protest was called off on Monday night after the Shahr Mufti Abdul Hameed had addressed the crowd and assured them that their demands regarding the release of arrested AMU students will be addressed by local police