Jamia Hostel Food Row Escalates as Students Allege Assault, University Denies Charge

The protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia’s Jammu and Kashmir Girls’ Hostel entered its third day on Saturday, escalating from a dispute over alleged poor-quality food into a wider confrontation involving student grievances, hostel administration, disciplinary authority and competing allegations of misconduct between protesters and university officials.

The agitation began after students complained that insects and other foreign objects, including pieces of broken glass, had allegedly been found in meals. They are demanding cancellation of the existing mess contractor’s contract, appointment of female staff in the mess, action against hostel authorities and an assurance that protesting students will not face disciplinary action. Earlier reports said students had repeatedly raised concerns about food quality and kitchen hygiene, with some alleging that the same contractor had been operating since 2022.

The university has maintained that an insect found in food was a one-off incident, while pointing to the student-run mess committee that coordinates with the vendor. However, following the initial agitation, Jamia agreed to change the hostel mess contractor. Students later resumed their protest, alleging that the university had failed to implement assurances given during the first demonstration. Reports also said the contractor’s departure temporarily left students without regular breakfast and lunch arrangements.

The dispute intensified after AISA alleged that Assistant Proctor Maqsood Ahmad Malik manhandled and assaulted students near the Dean of Students’ Welfare office around 1 am on Friday. The organisation also alleged that a student’s mobile phone was snatched while she was recording the incident, while electricity was switched off near the Centenary Gate and barricades were erected around the protest area.

Jamia denied the allegations and accused some protesters of breaking two hostel gates and manhandling members of the proctorial team, saying the action endangered hostel security. The university also said the students were protesting away from the designated site near Gate No. 18. Officials attributed lights being switched off in parts of the campus to routine energy-conservation measures and denied any connection with the protest. They also questioned the timing of the agitation during the BRICS summit in Delhi.

Jamia’s own hostel regulations assign responsibility for food, hygiene, sanitation and mess supervision to the hostel administration, while its student-facilitation framework provides separate channels through the Provost, Dean of Students’ Welfare and Proctorial Office. The university also maintains grievance-redressal mechanisms including E-Samadhaan.

The episode comes weeks after Jamia suspended four students and barred them from campus following protests over alleged irregularities in the 2026-27 spot-admission process.

The latest dispute therefore goes beyond a mess contractor. It raises questions about implementation of administrative assurances, transparency in grievance redressal and the balance between students’ right to protest and the university’s responsibility to maintain campus discipline and security. The competing allegations surrounding Friday’s confrontation remain to be independently established.