The Aligarh Muslim University on Wednesday suspended eight students pending an inquiry after clashes were reported on the campus following a confrontation with journalists of news channel Republic TV. One of the eight students suspended was also among the 14 students of the university booked for sedition on Tuesday.

All the eight students have also been asked to vacate hostels, University spokesperson M Shafey Kidwai, adding that the district magistrate has also suspended internet services in Aligarh till Thursday noon.

Kidwai said the eight students were suspended based on complaints lodged by Manish Kumar and Imran Khan against each other at the proctor’s office. Kidwai said the complaints related to assault and violence.

Imran Khan, Abdul Mabood, Farhan Zubairi and Adil Khan were suspended based on Kumar’s complaint. Zubairi was also booked for sedition following the fracas at the university campus on Tuesday evening. Kidwai said Ajay Singh, Manish Kumar, Aman Sharma and Pavan Jadon were suspended based on Khan’s complaint.

News of the scuffle on the campus emerged on Tuesday evening when a student posted a tweet accusing a Republic TV crew shooting on campus of referring to the institution as a “university of terrorists” in an attempt to elicit a reaction.

Fourteen students of the university were booked for sedition on Tuesday evening after clashes erupted following a confrontation with journalists from news channel Republic TV. The police filed a First Information Report against the students based on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha district leader Mukesh Lodhi.

Following the incident, the university administration filed two separate complaints with the police – one against the journalists for entering the campus without permission and the other against unidentified miscreants for indulging in arson and unlawful activities.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said slapping sedition on the students was ridiculous. “The law can be invoked only when any individual tries to excite dissatisfaction towards GoI [Government of India],” she said. “Since when did R tv [Republic TV] start representing the govt? Looks like this scenario was orchestrated to create chaos and target a particular institution.”