The India Decade

Delhi Police detain MP Imran Masood at Jamia protest over campus order

Law enforcement took preventive action in New Delhi as political leaders joined campus rallies marked by controversial slogans and demands for university elections.

By The India Decade

Imran Masood at a political event
Imran Masood at a political event · “Imran Masood” by Template:Gulrez Siddiqui (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons

Delhi Police detained Saharanpur MP Imran Masood on Friday after the Congress leader arrived at Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, where ongoing student demonstrations over union elections have drawn scrutiny over campus security and controversial slogans.

Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi was also detained by police while en route to support the demonstrators near the central university. Nadvi, who represents Rampur and studied at Jamia, alleged that officers shoved him during the police action before releasing him later in the day.

What sparked police action at Jamia Millia

Security measures around the university were tightened following the appearance of posters bearing slogans such as 'Free Kashmir' and 'Free Sharjeel Imam' during recent student rallies on campus. Sharjeel Imam, a doctoral scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University, remains incarcerated under anti-terror charges following remarks made during the anti-CAA protests.

Speaking to reporters after arriving at the campus, Masood distanced himself from the slogans, reiterating national unity and rejecting any attempt to undermine the integrity of the country.

"Kashmir is an integral part of India," Masood said, adding that he did not support the controversial banners while questioning why the university had expelled certain students during the agitation.

University administration moves to formalise union framework

To restore order and establish structured representation, Jamia Millia Islamia authorities have formed a administrative committee tasked with drafting a new constitution for the student union. Demonstrating student groups, however, continue to demand an immediate official notification announcing fixed polling dates.

Security personnel have instituted thorough credentials checks across entry points, requiring students to verify their identities before entering academic departments and university centres. The heightened checks follow brief unrest on 17 October, when security staff cleared demonstrators from the campus Ghalib lawn.

Key figures involved in the Jamia campus events

RepresentativePartyConstituencyRole during protestStatus
Imran MasoodCongressSaharanpurExpressed solidarity; disowned anti-national slogansDetained by Delhi Police
Mohibbullah NadviSamajwadi PartyRampurJamia alumnus; attempted to join student rallyDetained and released
Sharjeel ImamNoneNot applicableSubject of controversial campus postersIncarcerated under anti-terror laws

University officials maintain that maintaining administrative decorum and security on campus remains paramount while the constitutional committee completes its work on student representation rules.

Key numbers

WhatFigureSource
Date of police detentions24 October 2026Delhi Police
Date of Ghalib lawn unrest17 October 2026Jamia Millia Islamia administration

Questions readers are asking

Why was Congress MP Imran Masood detained at Jamia Millia Islamia?

Imran Masood was detained by Delhi Police after visiting the Jamia campus to support student protests over union elections, amid heightened police enforcement due to security concerns and controversial slogans raised on campus.

What measures is Jamia Millia Islamia taking regarding student elections?

The university administration has constituted an official committee to draft a new student union constitution to formalize the governance and electoral framework.

In this story

NameRole in the story
Mohibbullah NadviSamajwadi Party MP for Rampur detained and released while heading to Jamia.
Delhi PoliceLaw enforcement agency that detained political leaders and maintained campus order.
Jamia Millia IslamiaCentral university in New Delhi where student union election protests occurred.
Imran MasoodCongress MP for Saharanpur who was detained by Delhi Police at the Jamia protest.

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