Policemen snatch the effigies of Home Minister Sahara Khatun from the agitating students who were protesting the home minister's remark on the death of Abubakar Siddique on the Dhaka University campus in the city yesterday. Photo: STAR

Police obstructed the leaders and workers of Anti-imperialism Students' Unity burning the effigies of Home Minister Sahara Khatun and Dhaka University Proctor Dr KM Saiful Islam Khan on campus yesterday.

Policemen snatched the effigies from the agitating students who were demonstrating against the home minister's remark on the death of Abubakar Siddique, a student of the university's Islamic History and Culture department and proctor's role during the incident in which Abubakar died.

With a protest procession, around a hundred leaders and workers of the organisation reached the Aparajeyo Bangla at around 12:30pm.

At one stage of burning the effigies, the angry students engaged in an altercation with policemen.

Talking to the reporters, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Police Station Nurul Islam said burning the home minister's effigy was unacceptable as it is an important post of the state.

He said police would not obstruct students holding peaceful protest programmes.

Earlier at 11:00am, the anti-repression students' forum formed a human chain in front of Arts Building with placards and a banner.

The Progotishil Chhatra Jote, an alliance of left-leaning student bodies also brought out a procession and held a protest rally on the campus.

A group of students of mathematics department brought out a silent procession and formed a human chain near the Central Shaheed Minar area.

They demanded exemplary punishment to the persons responsible for the death of Abubakar and proper financial aid to his family.

They also demanded resignation of proctor as policemen entered into the hall during Chhatra League's clash and assaulted many general students.

Meanwhile, the probe committee -- formed on the death of Abubakar -- took interviews of some students of the hall yesterday and sat in a meeting in the evening.

Abubakar, a third year student of the university, died on February 3 after receiving severe injuries during a factional clash of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Sir AF Rahman Hall.